Being the crash victim of a motorist who runs a red light is sudden, violent, and sometimes fatal. If the victim is “T-boned” at a side door, severe injury is often the consequence because of the minimal protection for anyone sitting next to the door. These types of accidents can involve more than one victim. Large urban intersections are filled with stopped cars, any one of which can get hit in secondary impacts. Why do these potentially deadly accidents happen? Here are four reasons:
Red Light Is Run Intentionally
Impatient, aggressive, or rushed drivers will sometimes take a chance, step on the accelerator, and try to get through a red light before cross traffic enters the intersection. When the traffic is light, an aggressive driver may attempt to get through a gap in cross traffic.
Driver Miscalculates a Yellow Light
Drivers run yellow lights because they’re impatient, aggressive, rushed, or because they do it out of habit. A yellow light warns of an impending red light, and signals the motorist to slow down and stop. Many drivers regard a yellow light as a signal to hurry up and get through the intersection before the light turns red. If the driver miscalculates, he finds himself running a red light.
Lack of Attention to the Road
Cell phone use, app use, texting, daydreaming, eating, grooming, disciplining children, and managing pets are just a few of the many distractions in which motorists engage. The proliferation of useful technological gadgets has created an epidemic of distracted driving. Other reasons for driver inattention include fatigue, reading, complacency, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Slippery road pavement, thick fog, or heavy rain may prevent the motorist from stopping in time or seeing the traffic light. While these reasons might imply the fault doesn’t lie with the driver, the truth is that the motorist failed to accommodate the road conditions. The driver should slow down when encountering slippery roads or poor visibility.
To discuss your case, contact us at Hogan Injury if a negligent or reckless driver injured you in a crash.