New York Intersection Accident Attorneys

Two roads intersecting, with vehicles traveling perpendicular to each other, is a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, traffic lights, stop signs, and common sense enable drivers to successfully drive through intersections without high-risk of injury or injury-related death. However, intersection accidents in New York still occur. For a variety of reasons, the rules of the road are not always enough to prevent accidents from taking place.

There are a variety of intersection types throughout the country. These intersections all differ in the ways in which cars proceed through them. Some intersections are controlled by traffic lights, some by stop signs, and others by yield signs. Some intersections involve four-way stops, some involve two-way stops, and others have turn arrows to ensure that motorists are protected against oncoming traffic. In any event though, an intersection is a common place for driving error and bad judgment to occur, and accidents are prevalent.

According to the State of New York’s Department of Transportation, there were over 300,000 car crashes across all of New York’s combined counties in 2009. That averages out to a staggering 800+ car crashes each day in the state of New York. Undoubtedly, many of these accidents occurred at intersections. Whether it is the fault of another driver, or negligence on the part of poorly posted signage, New York intersection accidents can occur for a variety of reasons.

Running red lights and failing to obey stop signs can lead to side-impact collisions, as can making a left or right-hand turn onto an intersecting street without proceeding only when it is safe and within the confines of the rules of the road. Injuries sustained from accidents such as these can range from minor, and may only involve damage to one’s vehicle, to major, and may involve serious incapacitating injury or death.

Aside from drivers running red lights and stop signs, placing themselves and other drivers on the road in grave danger of becoming the victim of an accident, faulty traffic signals and improperly placed traffic signs can cause confusion and chaos in a matter of seconds. Traffic lights are mechanical devices that are susceptible to malfunction. When they do malfunction, it is the responsibility of the motorist to proceed with extreme caution. However, if signals are not fixed within a timely manner, then negligence cannot fall entirely on the shoulders of motorists, but on those governing bodies that are responsible for upkeep of the roads.

Once the accident is over, don’t allow yourself to be victimized any further. It is important to have someone on your side that knows your rights and is well-versed in traffic law. A Myers, Singer & Galiardo New York intersection accident attorney will examine every detail of your case. Negligence sometimes isn’t as obvious as you would think, but Myers, Singer & Galiardo intersection accident attorneys know exactly where to find it. Please contact us today for a free consultation.