Lexington drivers who log a lot of time on the road see their share of motorists who are paying attention to something other than driving. These distracted drivers can cause a traffic accident at any moment. You can do your best to avoid them, but there’s one dangerous spot where all drivers, good and bad, eventually come together: intersections.
Intersections and Car Accidents
Even good drivers can sometimes make bad decisions when several streets intersect and send a rush of traffic in many directions at once.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that intersections were the site of around 40% of all crashes in a single year in the U.S. What’s more, intersection related crashes occur due to “illegal maneuvers” and “false assumption of other’s action” about 4 times more often than non-intersection related crashes
Filing a Claim Against an At-Fault Driver
The takeaway is simple. Some drivers don’t seem to know what to do at intersections. A bad decision at a crossroads can affect every other motorist nearby. It can land you in an accident that wasn’t your fault. You may have obeyed the traffic laws and still ended up with serious injuries.
You may have to miss work and face a stack of medical bills as you try to recover. The at-fault driver should be held responsible for these hardships. In these cases, a Lexington Car Accident Attorney at The Kaufman & Stigger can be of great help when you’re seeking compensation from the driver who caused your collision. They know the laws in Kentucky concerning motor vehicle accidents and can assist in gathering the evidence you’ll need to build your claim.
Common Reasons for Accidents at Intersections
An intersection should be designed to bring road traffic together and then disperse vehicles in the safest manner possible. Often that’s not the case. Intersections with high traffic, like many around Lexington, can sometimes confuse drivers. The traffic lights can leave drivers wondering when their turn is coming and who else may be on the move at the same time.
Intersections around Lexington can take different forms. Some are equipped with traffic lights. The NHTSA found that around 56% of intersection collisions occurred where traffic lights were in place. Some intersections have stop signs in place. This type of crossroads was involved in 31% of the accidents in a single year. Some intersections had no traffic control or even a stop sign and those were responsible for around 16% of the accidents.
Visibility can be a great factor in intersections with two or more stop signs. Especially in rural areas where plants and trees aren’t always trimmed properly and can lead to drivers making blind decisions when they can’t see if any cars are coming.
Generally, there are three paths drivers can take at an intersection. They can turn left, right, or continue straight and cross over the intersection. Turning left was the most dangerous action at an intersection, involving crossing in front of oncoming traffic.
- Vehicle turning left at an intersection led to 22% of accidents.
- Vehicle crossing over led to 12.6% of the accidents.
- Vehicle turning right led to 1.2 percent of the accidents.
- Vehicle traveling too fast caused 5% of the accidents.
Getting Compensation After an Intersection Accident
In Kentucky, the statute of limitations on personal injury claims is one year. This means you have up to a year from the date of the accident to file a claim to recover damages from the responsible driver’s insurance. This may be the only way to fully cover your expenses and hardships as you recover.
The accident attorneys with The Kaufman & Stigger Lawfirm don’t recommend waiting until the end of this period to file. If you intend to file a claim, the sooner the better. Evidence and documents you’ll need for your case will be easier to collect immediately after an accident. An attorney can help you with this important decision.
Damages that an accident victim or the victim’s family are entitled to recover from an at-fault driver may include:
- Hospital and medical expenses.
- Past and future lost earnings.
- Past and future permanent physical disability such as a limp, scars, loss of a limb.
- Emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety.
- Damage or destruction of property.
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
Contact a Lexington Car Accident Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been injured because of a driver’s bad decision at an intersection you’ll need an experienced Lexington attorney on your side to help you receive the help you’ll need in recovery. A claim against the at-fault driver may be the only way to secure your future in case your injuries become an issue for years to come. The driver’s insurance company will have experienced agents and lawyers working against you. You need someone just as experienced to help you level the field.
Talk to a Lexington Car Accident Attorney you can trust to be on your side and get you what is yours under the law. The attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, have that knowledge and a combined 100 years’ experience in helping clients get the compensation they’ll need to make a full recovery. To discuss your case, contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today, by clicking here to contact them online.
