Intersections See Almost Half of all Fatal Accidents

By John Cooper, Virginia (VA) Accident Injury Attorney

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.

The Norfolk based personal injury law firm, Cooper Hurley, handles car, truck, and motorcycle injuries. John Cooper and Jim Hurley have over 40 years of combined experience in handling auto injury accident claims. Attorney John Cooper has been named to Virginia “Super Lawyers” since 2010. Cooper Hurley represents people hurt in accidents in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and throughout VA, and always put the best interests of the our clients first.. The firm is recognized by other lawyers as “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, a national attorney rating service, for our top level of legal skill and highest ethical standards. If you need help or advice about a serious injury, please call us ( 757) 455 -0077. For a free consultation with a specialized Hampton Roads, Virginia personal injury lawyer contact us through this website.