Intersection injury accidents are increasing in Mission Viejo and across the United States. According to a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) more than 36% of injury accidents occur in an intersection. The vast majority of accidents in an intersection are caused by an error in judgment by one or more of the drivers involved.
“Inadequate surveillance” was noted as the most common source of intersection accidents. The failure to exercise caution and carefully observe traffic flow as a driver approaches an intersection accounts for more than 44% of intersection related crashes. Many of these types of accidents in Mission Viejo involve pedestrians and bicyclists.
More than 10% of intersection accidents are caused by a driver who has made a false assumption about the behavior of other drivers . Making assumptions about what other drivers will do is a natural part of the driving experience. We expect those with whom we share the road to obey traffic laws, come to full stop or properly yield the right of way. Intersection injury accidents are increasing in Mission Viejo due to the failure to observe traffic laws and use turn signals or make other efforts to communicate what action you intend to take within the intersection.
An additional 7% of these accidents are due to illegal driving behaviors such as speeding, accelerating through a yellow light or running a red light.. Another common cause of intersection injury accidents is distracted driving. The use of cell phones, texting and reading email or social media as well as common occurrences such as eating or applying makeup increase the risk of an accident.
Intersection injury accidents are increasing in Mission Viejo and the best thing you can do to avoid them is to be pay close attention as you approach any intersection. If you or someone you love is injured in a motor vehicle accident we invite you to review the recommendations of our clients and contact us or call 949-305-1400 to speak with one of our experienced injury attorneys personally for a free consultation.
