No matter where you drive, you always face a certain level of accident risk. Many crashes happen because of one driver’s mistakes. It is good to be a careful and defensive driver, but you cannot control all of the risk yourself.
That said, where you drive makes a significant difference. One way that this becomes very clear is when you see that 50% of car accidents resulting in injuries happen near intersections. It is a very dangerous road design that also leads to roughly 25% of fatal car crashes.
How can you approach intersections safely?
In some cases, you can choose routes that have fewer intersections. This is why driving on highways and interstates can be safer than on city streets. Traffic never crosses paths and vehicles only enter and exit through the appropriate ramps.
There are also times when you simply cannot avoid taking intersections. The best thing you can do is watch out what other drivers are doing. Approach every intersection carefully and deliberately, avoiding any level of distraction.
Be wary of common mistakes that people make, such as running a stop sign at a two-way stop or rushing to try to get through a yellow light and running a red light. You can sometimes spot a driver who is about to make a critical error in advance, helping you avoid a crash.
Because you face risks from others, there is always a chance you could suffer injuries in a car accident even if you’re driving safely. If you do, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation from the driver who was responsible.