When drivers focus on safety, they try to avoid risky behaviors. This is part of becoming a defensive driver. They also try to anticipate the mistakes that other drivers are going to make. This mindset can sometimes help them avoid accidents.
One thing to be aware of is that intersections are one of the most dangerous places for people to drive. They result in more than half of all fatal or injury crashes each year. It may be wise to avoid intersections to reduce this accident risk. It is also important for defensive drivers to simply be aware that other drivers are going to make mistakes at these crucial points on the road.
Why are intersections such a major issue?
The problem with intersections is that every time multiple vehicles travel through one, drivers have to make a judgment call about when it is safe for them to proceed. This is true whether they are turning or going straight. Every driver has to look at traffic conditions and control devices – like stop signs or stoplights – and decide when and how to drive safely.
Most of the time, drivers are able to navigate intersections without an issue. Tens of thousands will go through without a single crash.
But one little mistake – a driver who is going too fast to stop at a yellow light, a driver who is distracted and doesn’t see the light change, a driver who thinks an oncoming vehicle is farther away than it really is – can cause a serious accident in just a split second. This is an unavoidable risk at intersections that isn’t necessarily present elsewhere.
Of course, you can’t always avoid intersections and dangerous drivers. If you get injured in an accident one of them causes, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.