Intersections See Almost Half of all Fatal Accidents

Almost half of all the deadly accidents on our roads occur around intersections, which is an alarming statistic given that so many of them are controlled by traffic signals.

According to a report in the newsletter of Investigative Technologies Inc. about 40 percent of all fatality related accidents happen on or at an intersection.

The article defines an intersection as “a junction of two or more roads. In fact, anywhere vehicles and pedestrians cross paths can be thought of as an intersection: driveways, parking lots, residential areas, etc.”

The majority of intersections have some type of controls to maintain the orderly flow of traffic.

And yet the high number of fatal accidents that occur at intersections point to the fact lights, stop signs and other controls are being routinely flouted.

See this video about drivers ignoring stop signs at a dangerous intersection in Chicago.

The high incidence of accidents at intersection has led a number of cities in Hampton Roads to install red light cameras. These include Newport News and Virginia Beach, VA., while Norfolk will soon install cameras.

Chesapeake also has red light cameras and some of the most dangerous intersections in the region, according to a recent report.

The Dominion Boulevard- Great Bridge Boulevard intersection made the list of one of the most dangerous intersections with 53 crashes there in 2008.

But the most dangerous intersection in Hampton Roads was found to be the one at Jefferson Avenue and J. Clyde Morris Boulevard in Newport News, VA. This intersection experienced 63 crashes in 2008.

Intersections can also bring pedestrians into contact with vehicles, leading to crosswalk accidents that can often result in lawsuits.

See these FAQs about motor vehicle accidents and their consequences.

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