Did you have a particular issue that caused you great stress when you were learning to drive? For some people, merging onto a highway is one of the biggest challenges. Others get nervous when sharing the road with tractor-trailers. You might be one of many California drivers whose blood pressure soars when approaching an intersection.
That’s understandable because intersections are some of the most dangerous road locations. If you clearly understand the rules of the road and always adhere to traffic laws, your chances are good for successfully navigating intersections. The problem is that not everyone is as good of a driver as you. In fact, some drivers are downright reckless. That’s why it’s so important not only to practice safe driving habits but to also know where to seek support if another driver hits you.
Two types of intersections
There are two basic types of intersections. Some are controlled and some are uncontrolled. Controlled intersections have traffic lights, stop signs or yield signs. All pedestrians, motorcyclists and those traveling by bicycle must also follow safety rules and rights-of-way regarding intersections.
Sometimes, one roadway contains stop signs while the crossroad of the same intersection may be unmarked. If you find yourself in such a situation, just remember that the vehicles at the stop signs must always remain stopped until there are no cross-section vehicles passing by.
If someone hits you at an intersection
If a driver fails to yield or doesn’t stop at a red light or stop sign, an otherwise uneventful bit of travel might quickly turn into tragedy. T-bone collisions are common at intersections. Rear-end collisions happen often as well. If a driver is texting and doesn’t notice the driver in front of him or her has stopped, it may prove disastrous. Suffering injury in an intersection collision might land you in the hospital with moderate to severe or even life-threatening injuries.
Your first priority in such situations is always to seek medical attention. Beyond that, you should gather as many details about the accident as possible. Such information will be useful if you later file a personal injury claim in a civil court. Many recovering accident victims do this to seek financial accountability against those who caused their injuries, which in turn, may lead to court-awarded compensation that can help them offset the medical expenses and other costs associated with their injuries.
This content is for informational purposes alone and not intended as legal advice. Should you need legal advice, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer.
