Virginia Beach to Install New Traffic Lights to Reduce Left-Turn Accidents

Rick is a Virginia injury attorney who handles car accidents, medical malpractice, FELA, wrongful death, etc.

5/2/2011
Richard N. Shapiro
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Virginia Beach to Install New Traffic Lights to Reduce Left-Turn Accidents

September 2011 is the scheduled debut for new traffic signals above left-turn lanes on Rosemont Road in Virginia Beach, VA. The lights will have only arrows, instead of a mix of ovals and arrows, and include a blinking yellow arrow. The goals of the pilot traffic signal replace program is to reduce the number of right-angle, or T-bone, crashes on one of the city's busiest north-south streets.

Rosemont saw 31 left-turn accidents in the 2007-2009 period. Data compiled by the Virginian-Pilot indicate Virginia Beach drivers were involved in just more than 1,500 T-bone crashes during 2010.

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The new traffic lights with blinking yellow arrows will be installed at the intersections where Rosemont Road crosses Sentara Way/Chester Street, South Plaza Trail, Salina Drive and Bow Creek Boulevard. blinking yellow arrow light virginia beach rosemont road

blinking yellow arrow light virginia beach rosemont road

The blinking arrow indicates traffic traveling straight on the opposite of the road has a green light and that drivers turning left must give those other cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, bicycle riders and pedestrians the right of way before making their turn. The solid yellow arrow, as before, indicates the signal is about to turn red.

Former Virginia Beach police officer and current City Council member for Lynnhaven, which contains most of the Rosemont corridor, Jim Wood told the newspaper, "Anything that we do that makes it easier for people to understand traffic patterns and traffic rules is a good thing."

The blinking yellow arrow turn lights already hang over rural highways on the Outer Banks and western mountains of North Carolina (NC), roads in states such as Colorado and Michigan, and streets and Virginia state highways in Roanoke County, VA. Each locality has reported an adjustment period for drivers after installing the nontraditional traffic signals, but each has also seen fewer left-hand turn accidents -- and, subsequently, fewer injuries and deaths caused by crashes.

The recent tragedy at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront in which a SUV driver making a left-hand turn struck and killed a scooter rider who had a green light provided a stark reminder of the dangers posed by so-called "permissive" turns in which both people traveling straight and people turning have solid green signals. Risks for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle or moped riders are particularly high, as many at-fault in left-turn accidents honestly claim they never saw the vehicle or person they hit until after the collision.

The only way to prevent left-turn wrecks is for drivers to come to a full stop and then completely scan each oncoming lane of traffic and the mouth of the street, parking lot or driveway into which they are turning. Any child, teen, adult, bike or other vehicle can be seen if people take the time to look.

As a personal injury attorney practicing in Virginia Beach for more than 25 years, I have represented victims of left-turn accidents many times. I have seen firsthand, and too often, the severe injuries and loss of life such crashes cause. As a result, I welcome the installation of the new blinking yellow arrow left turn signals in the Resort City. If the new traffic lights do make Rosemont Road safer, they should be hung throughout Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton and every other city and county. Safer roads benefit everyone.

EJL

Category: Car Accident Lawyers & Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Labels: car accidents in Virginia Beach killed left-turn accidents left-turn blinking yellow lights loss of life motorcycle wrecks pedestrians injured Rosemont Road T-bone crashes VA Virginia Beach

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia Beach, VA-based injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and we have handled thousands of car accident, truck wreck, and motorcycle crash cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself.

We've handled car accident cases throughout Virginia including Richmond, Fairfax, Alexandria, and the Hampton Roads region including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Portsmouth, Newport News, and Suffolk.

Our primary office is in Virginia Beach at the intersection of Diamond Springs Road and Northampton Boulevard. We also have an office on Eaton Street in Hampton. All of our accident injury attorneys were raised in Virginia and have deep roots with the community.

Our Virginia injury law firm has been recognized as one of the best injury law firms in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report since 2010. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed on the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Rick and Jim were named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of lawyers receive. In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms.

We also offer free special reports on distracted driving and the Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in Virginia.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us at 1-800-752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you shortly.

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Virginia Beach to Install New Traffic Lights to Reduce Left-Turn Accidents

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