The Intersection Road Hazard. An Intersection Accident that can Kill You
There’s a very lethal Road Hazard sitting at many intersections. The bad news? It can get you very permanently killed. The good news? It’s sitting right there in plain view. It’s easy to spot and easy to deal with. All you have to do is recognize it.
Large trucks or buses stopped at an intersection create blind spots, especially if you end up sitting right next to them. The problem becomes acute if you (and the truck) happen to be the first ready to go, when the light turns Green. You may also be approaching the intersection and they’re sitting in the turn lane, waiting to turn.
You simply have no idea who’s buzzing along on the other side of that truck, ready to interrupt your intersection plans.
It has been suggested that intersection accidents may account for up to fifty percent of all injury inducing accidents. We don’t know how many of these are because drivers couldn’t see each other coming because of a big buddy blind spot, but it’s probably substantial.
Can we even imagine how many times a truck driver cringes, as he watches a vehicle race in front of him, trying to “make the light”, while yet another driver on his side lunges forward to meet it?
These ignoble encounters of metal are almost always of the “broadside” persuasion and there are few encounters quite as detrimental to one’s health.
Most intersections are designed to be reasonably safe presuming everyone observes the rules. It’s when someone decides to bend those rules – and you can’t see it coming, that you can get bent! And most intersection accidents occur with either the first car in, or the last car through.
If the first car moving through moves out quickly and the last one through is speeding up, trying to make the light, it can get messy – especially if they can’t see each other. Skid marks, fire apparatus, auto parts, ambulances, stretchers full of bodies. That kind of messy.
There are two basic situations where the bus or truck at the intersection can create a blind spot.
In the first situation, you’re at a Red light. You’re stopped along side of the truck. The light turns Green. Simple suggestion. Instead of “punching it”, move out slowly along side the truck — for two reasons.
He can see that flyer coming. He’ll wait – and if he’s waiting, it might be prudent to wait with him. But even if he doesn’t notice the flyer, he’ll block for you.
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I would rather have that flyer hit the big old truck than little old me. So I’ll just ease it on out along side of the truck, using the big guy for cover. Once I’m through the intersection? Then I can move on along at my chosen pace.
If we’re on the opposite side of that equation, we may not want to try to making the light at the last moment either. Is there someone behind that truck over there who wants to launch zero to sixty in 4.5? He might end up doing zero into “my right side” — in less than 4 point anything.
Now we’re coming up to an intersection and the light is still Green. All systems are “go”, but wait! There it is — that teensy, not so little problem. An eighteen wheeler stopped in the left turn lane, waiting to make his turn. As we approach the intersection the blind spot behind him looms ever larger.
So who’s to say there’s not someone asleep at the gas pedal on the other side of our big boy – who’s going to cruise right on through his Red light and into us? Or maybe that gal in the opposing left turn lane, that we can’t see, is going to take a chance and make her turn right in front of us? Right of way becomes meaningless when we’re basically dead!
What are the chances? Somewhat slim – but slim is all it takes! Then we won’t ever have to worry about intersections again. I’ve never heard of them in the “after life”.
How do we handle this potential for disaster? First, as soon as we see that big guy sitting there, we take a really hard look at what’s behind him — before we get closer to the intersection and can no longer see. Second, we get set for a panic stop. We ease off the gas.
It’s easier and quicker, to stop our buggy when we’ve already reduced forward momentum, than if we’re still hard on the “go pedal”. Caution kinda’ counts.
Large vehicles at the intersection. It’s not their fault but they’re a serious hazard. It’s a hazard that’s easy to deal with though. All we have to do is respect it for what it is – and react accordingly.
Please Add your COMMENTS BELOW. What do You Think?
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That’s great, I never thought about Intersection Accident like that before.
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I was just thinking about The Intersection Road Hazard and you've really helped out. Thanks!
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A small mistake could be the reason of remorse of a lifetime. Still we should pay pay every possible attention we can, while driving, as someone in our house wait for us, when we drive out.
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I think one should always drive carefully. Your life is very precious, you should not pour it into a heaven's jar. Take care of yourself as well as others moving along with you while driving.
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i like ur blog.the template is very nice.bt add more pics.
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I would like to suggest everyone that please take necessary precautions required while you are on the way. Because if you are alive the world is yours.
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I am mad about going on a long drive. Driving is my passion. But while driving necessary precautions should also be taken. Avoid rush driving.
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Recently I Owned a new car. I went for a long drive with my parents and family. I am very much concerned about safety. So. I assembled all accessories regarding to security.
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Interesting article. I drive *a lot* of kms a year.
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I have a new car embedded with air-bags as well as all necessary accessories required. I would like to suggest everyone to take precautions, because the life of each and every person is important to us.
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Well this is probably one of those strong reasons for having a good car insurance, any experiences driver has been through car "incidents", intersections accidents indeed pose higher risk factors.
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All the safe driving and safety rules are not just for the ones who are actually driving. They are for all who wants to servive. They are for the walfare of the people who left home in a hope that they would come back again home to play with their children, to take their wives to the shopping.
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Thanks for this nice info, it's so useful for me.
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A very good article and analyzation of Intersection Road Hazards. You definitely have looked at every possibility for an accident with the intersection. It will definitely make me think the next time I am at an intersection. good post. thanks.
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Do you have any statistics on road hazards? This kind of information could help drivers (if they don't already know) to be aware of the risk zones and thus avoid accidents.
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I really don't have, or know of any stats on road hazzards, probably because they're accidents waiting to happen and only become statistics when they do become accidents.
Really good question though. This is why I try to stress dealing with them in many of my articles and my book.
Thank you.
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Plumber:
Thanks for the most flattering comment.
All comments are greatly appreciated.
Don't forget - you can easily buy the book of "Driverthink" simply by clicking under the book image at the end of the article.
Thanks again to all for the comments.
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Thanks for your updations and comments.
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Is driving safe in Pregnancy ?
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Is driving safe when your pregnant?
Okay, Driverthink is not a Medical Doctor so I'm not going to go there! Might want to check with yours though. Every pregnancy is different.
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What is safe driving?
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Safe driving is different things to different people but Driverthink would suggest that it's all about "thinking" about your driving, thus the title, "Driverthink."
As a guide, the four rules of Driverthink are:
1. Know your machine. (Your Vehicle.)
2. Know your limitations.
3. Develop your driving skills.
4. Develop your driving experience.
You might wish to refer to the article Four Elements of Responsible Safe Driving or the book Driverthink for further thoughts. Thank you.
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Great overview. Your style of writing is really a joy to read.
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I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts.Any way Ill be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon...
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Thank you for your comment.
Please consider the book of "Driverthink" for yourself or as a gift. Thanks again.
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Really i am impressed from this post....the person who create this post he is a great human..thanks for shared this with us.i found this informative and interesting blog so i think so its very useful and knowledge able.I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article
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you can easily buy the book of "Driverthink" simply by clicking under the book image at the end of the article.
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My city just recently put up a new stop sign. They removed the existing stop sign, and put a new one up for traffic the other way. The stop sign used to be for traffic heading N-S. Now, it's for traffic heading E-W. Well, there is a problem, and a serious one at that! You can't see heading N-S when you cross the intersection. There is a brick wall as well as the bend in the road causing 0 percent line of site! I've called EVERYONE I can think of. Police, traffic control, neighborhood community, fire station...
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Wow! It’s amazing sometimes, the way our traffic engineers operate. You sometimes wonder if they’ve ever seen a steering wheel, much less the intersection in question.
You’re comment got cut off but there’s enough there to suggest two problems. The first is the blind spot you mention, but there’s also the issue of drivers not being used to the new set up. If they’re used to drivers stopping in the other direction and go flying through the new sign that they’re not used to, it could be a recipe for disaster. They might have at least set up a “four way” stop temporarily, until drivers got used to the change.
In any event, I have learned that there’s “strength in numbers.” You need to first find out which authority is responsible for the signs (state, local, etc). Then you might want to petition for a fix – or even organize a demonstration with the press if you feel it is really worthy.
Bottom line? In any “blind spot” situation (intersection, parking lot or whatever), I have found that it’s best to inch out slowly, then be prepared to “step on it” if you have to! You are at the complete mercy of other drivers being able to see you and the more time you give them to do so, the better your chances.
Good Luck.
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your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts.Any way Ill be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon...
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Thanks for your compliment!
Time has been at a premium lately but I hope to get back to a few articles I have in the que!
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I always feel great when I find the blog useful for and it takes place in my collection. And, moreover, my colleagues are just fixed on it.
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Thanks so much for the comment.
Don't forget to consider the book of Driverthink as a gift for yourself, family or friends!
Thanks again, Frank Miller
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I want to express my admiration of your writing skill and ability to make reader to read the while thing to the end. I would like to read more of your blogs and to share my thoughts with you. I will be your frequent visitor, that’s for sure.
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We always try to ride safely on road, there are lots accident taking place on our area.
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I haven't any word to appreciate this post.....Really i am impressed from this post....the person who create this post it was a great human..thanks for shared this with us.
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