3 Mistakes At Intersections That Can Lead To Major Wrecks

The average driver passes through dozens of intersections on their daily commute to work or their trip to drop children off at school. Each of those intersections slightly increases the possibility of a collision.

Although crashes can occur anywhere, locations where motorists cross paths with one another are higher-risk than areas where they simply share the road. Intersection collisions can occur for a variety of different reasons, but there are certain noticeable trends. For example, the following three mistakes play a role in a large percentage of intersection collisions each year.

INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE

A careful review of intersection collisions will quickly show that people aren’t careful enough when approaching intersections. They may fail to look carefully around their vehicles, possibly because they are very familiar with that area. Other times, distraction is what causes inadequate surveillance. Someone engaged in a discussion with a passenger or looking down at their phone may not check their surroundings as carefully as they should. Failing to properly check road conditions before proceeding through the intersection is one of the top reasons for crashes occurring.

FAILING TO COMMUNICATE

Turn signals are of the utmost importance for overall motorist safety. They are the only way for someone in a motor vehicle to effectively communicate with other parties nearby. It is quite common for people to occasionally fail to use their turn signals. That mistake can be particularly dangerous if someone intends to conduct a left-hand turn that leaves them exposed to all opposing lanes of traffic.

NOT ACTUALLY STOPPING

It is quite common for motorists approaching an intersection to only slow down rather than to stop. Even if there is a traffic light or signage requiring that everyone stops, they may conduct a rolling stop where their vehicle never actually ceases moving.

Small mistakes can result in massive consequences for someone operating a motor vehicle at a dangerous location, such as an intersection on a road with a high speed limit or heavy traffic density. Being able to recognize driving mistakes that increase one’s personal crash risk could help someone more convincingly establish why another driver may be at fault for a recent wreck.