Traveling through West Virginia, either as a full-time resident or visitor, can be quite stressful if you’re sharing the road with drivers who are not following traffic laws and safety rules. Intersections are some of the most dangerous sections of the roadway. However, by keeping several helpful tips in mind, you improve safety and reduce the chances of a collision.
There are several types of intersections. Some are secure, meaning stop signs or traffic lights regulate traffic. Others are unmarked, which, of course, increases the risk of collision. When you’re at a crossroads and are unsure whether it’s your turn to go, it’s best to let others go first.
Avoid an intersection collision by staying behind the white line
You have likely approached many an intersection that had a white line painted on the road. This is a stop line that tells drivers where to stop. If you want to improve intersection safety, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle stays behind the stop line. When people allow the front of their vehicles to extend past this line, they are at risk because vehicles making turns might cross into their path and hit them.
Make sure you can see the tires of the vehicle in front of you
If there is another vehicle stopped in front of you at an intersection, you’ll want to create distance between that vehicle and yours. If you cannot see the point of contact where their rear tears are touching the ground, then you’re too close. Leaving more space between your car and the car in front improves safety. If someone hits you from behind and you have left enough space in front, it could keep you from hitting the car in front of you.
Never speed up at a yellow light
Accelerating to try to “beat” a yellow light before it turns red is the cause of many intersection collisions. To improve safety, slow down at a yellow light and be prepared to stop when the light turns red. It should go without saying to come to a full stop at a red light, and yet many fatal collisions occur at intersections because drivers fail to do so.
If a collision occurs and you suffer injuries
These tips may help you avoid a collision at a West Virginia intersection. However, they cannot guarantee that another driver won’t hit you. If you suffer injury in a motor vehicle accident caused by driver negligence, you have the right to seek compensation for damages.
