Preventing Intersection Accidents in Georgia

By Grant Law Office on September 19, 2011

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 2009 Traffic Safety Facts, there were 2,210,000 intersection and intersection-related accidents across the nation that year. This is an alarming number considering many intersections have some type of traffic control device, whether it is a traffic signal or stop sign. In fact, 1,158,000 of these accidents occurred in the presence of a traffic signal. Why, when there are laws and devices in place to facilitate an organized flow of traffic, are so many people involved in intersection accidents? The answer to this question is a simple, yet disheartening one: negligence and disregard for traffic laws and the safety of others.

Every state, including Georgia, experiences a large number of intersection accidents. Unfortunately, because intersections involve multiple lanes of traffic that are traveling in multiple directions as well as crosswalks for pedestrians, these crashes tend to be more severe. Even though you can’t control the actions of others on the road, there are a few safety tips that you can follow to help minimize the risk that you will be involved in a Georgia intersection accident:

• Adhere to posted speed limits and caution signs;
• Obey all traffic signals and stop signs;
• Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists;
• Keep an eye out for motorcycles, especially when turning;
• Complete a double-stop at a red light before turning right;
• Listen for potential dangers, such as oddly loud acceleration or screechy braking;
• Never rush through a turn;
• Yield the right-of-way when coming to a stop with other vehicles;
• Be aware of what is going on around you, check your mirrors; and
• Make sure all cross traffic has stopped before accelerating for a green light.

Following these guidelines will help keep you safe when traveling through intersections, but cannot prevent every accident. If you have been injured in an intersection accident in Georgia as the result of another driver’s negligence, contact the experienced Atlanta intersection accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. at 404-995-3955. We can help you pursue the compensation you need for the losses you have suffered.