Safety experts say that the average American will be involved in three to four car accidents in their lifetime. As anyone who has already had that experience can attest, even a minor accident can leave a person pretty shaken up. Those feelings can become even more overwhelming if the person has suffered any kind of injury in the accident.
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, our Virginia car accident attorneys have successfully represented thousands of car accident victims in the three decades we have been advocating for clients. Some of the most common places that car accidents occur may surprise you, but being aware of this information may help you avoid these accidents.
Close to home – The majority of car accidents happen within five miles of the driver’s home. This may be due in part because drivers may not be paying as much attention to their surroundings because they are so familiar to them. Another reason is that drivers tend to speed up the closer they get to home. A very common accident happens at the driver’s home when they are backing out of their driveway and into the road, often hitting oncoming vehicles or even pedestrians.
Intersections – The most common intersection crashes are those without traffic lights or signs. The design of the intersection and if there are any visibility issues also make a difference. Side impact collisions, also referred to as T-bone accidents, are the most frequent intersection accidents.
Stop signs – This is another common location for car accidents because too many drivers fail to come to a complete stop in time. Many drivers do a “rolling stop” where they don’t stop the vehicle completely at all. Hidden stop signs can also be an issue.
Traffic lights – Rear-end crashes often occur where there are traffic lights when the rear driver fails to stop in time and hits the vehicle in front. Another far too common – and often severe – accident happens when a driver does not stop at a red light and slams into the traffic that has the green light to go.
Parking lots – Parking lot accidents are another common location for accidents, often due to the fact there really aren’t any set traffic rules for people to follow. Distracted driving is one of the main causes of accidents, with many drivers paying more attention to finding a parking spot than the vehicles – or pedestrians – that are around them.
Two-lane roads – Deadly head-on collisions are the most common type of accidents that happen on two-lane roads, the result of one driver trying to pass the vehicle in front of them by speeding up into the other lane. Too many drivers misjudge the distance they have or don’t see oncoming traffic and the results are catastrophic.
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Car crash victims often suffer from injuries that require a long-term recovery process. This often involves high medical expenses, as well as lost wages from work, and pain and suffering. And it is not uncommon for victims to suffer life-long damage from these injuries.
Insurance companies will often try to pressure car crash victims to settle their claims quickly and for much less than what the victim deserves. That is why it is critical to contact a skilled car accident attorney immediately following a collision for advice and direction. Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential consultation. For more information, download our free guide to car crash injuries in Virginia.
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