Beware at Intersections!
Intersection collisions occur far too often across the country and right here in Maryland. They are bad enough when involving two passenger vehicles or trucks. The devastation in a May 2025 collision, however, was exacerbated by the fact that one of the vehicles involved was an ATV. After the ATV smashed into the side of a truck and trailer, killing the ATV driver, and critically injuring the passenger, a female adult. No one in the truck was injured.
Common Causes of Intersection Collisions
Intersections are dangerous places, with roughly 2.5 million collisions occurring in intersections every year. About 25 percent of traffic fatalities and half of injuries occur in intersections across the United States. What factors contribute to these numbers?
- Distractions: Distracted drivers—those using cell phones, eating, or looking for an address, for example, are one of the top reasons drivers wind up in intersection collisions.
- Alcohol: Drunk drivers experience judgment impairment, slowed reactions, poor focus, and faulty coordination, making them key contributors to intersection crashes.
- Speeding: Drivers who exceed posted speed limits contribute to multiple crashes annually, which impacts the severity of collisions.
- Fatigue: Drowsy driving affects a driver in much the same ways that drunk driving does, leading to poor judgment, when approaching intersections.
- Recklessness: Drivers who choose to tailgate, weave between lanes, speed, race, and zip through yellow lights make intersections unsafe for everyone.
- Failure to Yield: When drivers don’t wait their turn in an intersection, there is nearly always a collision. It’s often a matter of a turning vehicle failing to wait for a wide enough gap in oncoming traffic.
- Running Reds: Drivers who don’t acknowledge traffic signs and signals could mean a high-impact collision is in the cards. T-bone crashes are common in intersections, along with multi-vehicle collisions.
Pedestrians
Intersections are dangerous for people who don’t happen to be in a motor vehicle, too. Pedestrians and bicyclists are at risk for all the same reasons that motorists are in danger, along with a few more:
- Pedestrians and cyclists are more difficult to see, especially at night;
- Many intersections lack lighting;
- Many intersections do not have crosswalks;
- Pedestrians are often distracted, themselves;
- Children often do not exercise common sense around crosswalks;
- Bicyclists may not be wearing protective gear;
- Bicyclists may be riding in a lane where drivers don’t expect them;
- Some intersections have no sidewalks at all.
When Tragedy Hits
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries or death in an intersection collision due to the negligence or recklessness of another driver, you may wish to seek compensation to address your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. The dedicated La Plata & Waldorf personal injury attorneys at The Law Office of Hammad S. Matin, P.A. can help. To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation in our La Plata & Waldorf office today.
Source:
thebaynet.com/atv-rider-killed-in-brandywine-crash-with-pickup-truck-passenger-seriously-injured/
