If you’ve been a licensed driver in Delaware for some time, certain driving maneuvers may come easy to you. This might seem like a good thing; however, there’s a downside. When you get used to driving, some tasks behind the wheel become more like habits, which means you might not be as focused on the road as you should be. You might be more prone to distracted driving when this happens.
Whether you’ve owned a driver’s license for 30 years or are a relatively new and inexperienced driver, there are some roadway locations that are typically more dangerous than others, such as intersections. Even if you are alert and cautious, it doesn’t necessarily mean the other drivers who might approach an intersection at the same time as you will be the same.
Keep these things in mind at intersections
It’s impossible to predict what might happen when numerous vehicles simultaneously approach a crossroad. Some intersections are secured, which means there are stop signs or traffic lights to guide traffic and pedestrian movement. The following list includes things to remember that can help you navigate intersections as safely as possible:
- If you’re driving a vehicle, always be on the lookout for pedestrians who might step into the roadway at any time. If you’re traveling on foot, look and listen for approaching vehicles.
- Stationary objects increase the risk for collision at intersections because they can impede visibility. If you’re at an intersection where there are parked cars, lamp posts, shrubbery or trees, etc., be sure you have a full view in each direction before making a turn or passing straight through.
- Reckless or distracted drivers might try to beat a yellow light or fail to stop at a red light or stop sign. These issues are causal factors in many intersection accidents, which have a high rate of fatalities.
- It can be confusing when multiple motorists or pedestrians arrive at an intersection at the same time. If you’re not sure who has the right of way, it’s always safest to yield.
If a driver isn’t paying attention or a pedestrian enters a crossroads outside the marked area for crossing, it can turn an uneventful trip to work, the store or elsewhere into a tragic situation. You might have a green light, but if a car comes barreling through and fails to stop at a red light, a collision might occur that causes you serious injury.
If an accident happens
It can take weeks, even months, to fully recover from injuries you suffered in a collision. Sadly, some accident victims never fully recover, leaving them with partial or full disabilities that prompt a need for daily living assistance. Between taking time off work during recovery, medical bills, physical therapy and other accident-related issues, you might face financial distress as well as physical and emotional damages.
Delaware law provides motorists and pedestrians who suffer emotional, physical or economic damages because of another person’s driving negligence a way to seek legal and financial accountability for their injuries in civil court.