An intersection is where two or more roadways meet, cross or overlap is an intersection. In other words, functionally, an intersection is where everything comes together with traffic traveling in different directions. You navigate intersections hundreds of times a day if you live in an urban area. And if you take a road trip, you'll come across vast labyrinths of intersections that look different and very complex.
In a variety of distinct configurations and sizes, intersections can be constructed. Intersections in traffic design may include as many as six streets that converge. For instance, the crossing of two perpendicular streets and yet another street that crosses them diagonally may require a six-way intersection. With as many as eight or ten roadways converging, highway intersections may become extremely complex.
Here are some factual details to help you think about the safety of intersections.
- Approximately 40 percent of motor vehicle collisions take place at an intersection or are connected with an intersection.
- 21% of all fatal accidents happen at an intersection.
- 49 percent of collisions occur at an intersection in urban areas.
- Every year, over 32,000 individuals are killed in motor vehicle wrecks.
- Car collisions, an additional 2.2 million Americans are injured annually.
- Two out of three people say they see someone running a red light a couple of times a week. It is claimed by many that they see this happen once a day.
- Each of the three Americans knows that someone was killed or wounded as a result of a red-light running crash.
- Out of 1.9 million intersection collisions, the outcome of red-light running was 219,000.
- 21% of people were killed in car accidents were at intersection-related car collisions
- 92% of motor vehicle crashes that occur at an intersection occur in dry weather.
- On undivided roadways, 61 percent of intersection accidents occur; on divided roads, 37 percent happen.
- 21 to 34, 35 to 39, and 65 + years are the age ranges with the highest number of intersection injuries.
- 78% of Americans think that street intersections are unsafe and should be made safer.
- The cost of car collisions to society is more than $96 billion a year.
- Fatalities at intersections (25 percent) involved older persons, while older persons only make up 12.4 percent of the resident U.S. population.
Crashes are usually caused by a driver's lack of attention or improper maneuvers while crossing over at intersections with traffic signals or stop signs. Since their vision is obstructed or they misjudge the speed of an oncoming car, drivers turning left at intersections with traffic signals or stop signs are likely to become involved in accidents. Crashes involving right turns at stop signs are often attributed to a false assumption by a driver about the actions of another vehicle.
Several age distinctions are noted in the study of intersection crash factors: collisions involving drivers aged 24 and younger at intersections of traffic signals are likely to be triggered by internal or external distraction of a driver, a mistaken perception of the behavior of another car, or speeding / aggressive driving. Drivers 25 to 54 at intersections operated by traffic signals are usually involved in accidents because of “ critical non-performance error ” (such as from exhaustion or medical impairment), illegal maneuvers, inattention, or aggressive driving. Crashes at intersections where there are stop signs appear to be caused by insufficient monitoring or misjudging the speed of another vehicle among drivers 55 years old and older.
Female drivers involved in traffic signal-controlled intersection collisions are likely to have misjudged the conduct of other drivers or to have been disturbed by an internal situation. Male drivers, on the other hand, due to crucial non-performance mistakes, improper movements, or reckless driving/speeding, are more likely to have been involved in traffic signal intersection collisions.