Understanding Intersections

Understanding Intersections

Despite popular belief, intersection crashes and fatalities are only around 20% of all traffic incidents. The latest figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety, FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) 2009, are shown below:

Notice that, of 30,797 fatal crashes, 6,670 (21%) were intersection or intersection-related. The vast majority were at NON-JUNCTION locations, 22,286 (72%). All things considered, intersections are one of the SAFER places to be; one hypothesis for this is due to the fact that most drivers become MORE aware of the danger and pay closer attention to their driving.

Now, of those crashes that DID occur, here’s a breakdown of the traffic flow:

 

Again, note that the vast majority (75%) occurred on two-lane roads (one lane in each direction). Multi-lane traffic flow, of 4 or more lanes, accounted for only 15%.

Finally, as to the crashes that DID occur in intersections, this pie chart shows the style of crash:

Note that angle collisions (such as occurs when traffic conflicts at right angles, such as when making a right-turn-on-red, or driving thru a red light) account for almost ½ of all fatal collisions, 47%. Side-swipe collisions (such as would happen if changing lanes) are only 2% of those fatalities.

THIS is precisely why I want new drivers, of any age, to understand the law about lane changing. In some states, lane changing WITHIN an intersection is illegal, in others it is illegal within 100 feet of an intersection, and in some, like Florida, it is legal sometimes, and sometimes not. (Florida's traffic laws can be found here: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0316/titl0316.htm&StatuteYear=2009&Title=-%3E2009-%3EChapter%20316

To deny them a reasonable expectation of what might happen, legally, just because it is not a popular belief, is, in my opinion, unprofessional at best, and negligence at worse. When we talk about teaching safe driving habits, we should, no, MUST, give them an explanation of WHY this or that practice is safe, and what they can expect from adhering/disobeying such practices.