Auburn Intersection Accident Causes Injury
On the afternoon of May 3, 2021, a major injury accident that required vehicle occupant extrication occurred at the Auburn intersection of Bell Road and Quartz Drive. The collision took place at around 2:45 p.m., and all lanes at the intersection were blocked for a period of time following the crash.
The collision involved four vehicles, including a black Subaru and a silver Nissan sedan. One person was severely injured according to a California Highway Patrol (CHP) report. The injured person was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.
The CHP and paramedics responded to the crash site at approximately 2:50 p.m. Details of what lead to the crash were not immediately known. The cause remains under investigation.
Increased Risk at Intersections
Intersections historically have caused problems for vehicle drivers. A large percentage of car crashes happen at intersections. Why is that? Whenever cars must proceed in front of oncoming traffic or make a turn from one road onto another, the risk of a collision is heightened. Negotiating an intersection requires many driving skills:
- Visual scanning in all directions
- Use of mirrors
- Analysis of the direction and speed of other vehicles
- Preparedness to respond to the unexpected
Because they present an increased risk, intersections are areas at which safety improvements can be made. If many accidents occur at an intersection only governed by a stop sign, for instance, the safety of the intersection may be improved by the installation of a traffic control light to replace the stop sign.
Distractions Make Intersections More Dangerous
The next time you are stopped for a red light at a busy Auburn intersection, take a look around and notice how many drivers surrounding your vehicle are looking at their phones. As other directions of travel proceed on green lights, you may notice that some drivers continue to pay attention to their mobile devices even as their vehicles move through the intersection. Given the number of mental tasks that a driver should complete while negotiating a vehicle through a busy intersection, placing one’s primary concentration elsewhere is incredibly dangerous. This is especially true because it is not only other vehicles that you must look out for at intersections but crossing pedestrians and bicyclists as well.
Watch the YouTube video on intersection safety uploaded by the Federal Highway Administration.
Curbing the Danger of Left-Hand Turns
Many intersection accidents happen when a driver is making a left-hand turn. In 2018, more than half of all vehicle versus pedestrian accidents that occurred at an intersection involved a left turn. One simple and cost-effective change to the infrastructure could make left turns less hazardous. The traffic-calming measure is known as centerline hardening, and it blocks the diagonal path through an intersection with the use of bollards and rubber curbing. In cities where this measure has been implemented, there have been 70% fewer near-misses of pedestrians, and a significant reduction of speed has been noted by vehicles making a left-hand turn.
Auburn Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thanks for visiting our legal blog. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a personal injury lawyer in Auburn, California. Automobile accidents occur on a daily basis throughout Northern California. A significant number of those incidents cause injuries to the involved parties. Some car crashes result in fatalities. Dealing with an insurance adjuster while trying to focus on your physical recovery can be frustrating. A skilled and experienced injury lawyer can handle the insurance company and protect your legal rights, which allows you to focus on healing. If you have suffered injuries caused by the actions of a negligent driver, please don’t hesitate to seek our free and friendly advice. Call us at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400.
For nearly 40 years, our firm has advocated on behalf of injured Auburn residents. Our settlements and verdicts page lists some of our past case results.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/arrows-center-inside-middle-2034857/
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