Intersections are often the site of accidents because it’s where drivers who obey the law and those who don’t meet says Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne.

There’s a higher risk of an accident if you’re at an intersection compared to other places you drive. At that intersection there is a group of drivers, some may be in a hurry, some may be distracted, someone might be intoxicated. Any time multiple drivers are together the chances increase someone will make a mistake, warns Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne.

“So why are intersections so dangerous? Primarily because many drivers don’t obey the traffic signals.”

That’s the question and answer from the Destin Log after it worked with local law enforcement to find the most dangerous intersections in Northwest Florida. They are worth looking for because, according to the Florida Driver’s Association, more than 40% of all accidents happen in or around intersections.

Lt. Adam Falk of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office stated that from March 13 to April 27 there were 15 traffic accidents at four U.S. Highway 98 intersections between the Okaloosa County line and Sandestin. He stated all were rear end accidents. The victims were either stopped or slowing and the accidents could’ve been avoided if drivers paid attention.

Patrol officers for three counties’ sheriff’s offices identified 12 intersections along U.S. Highway 98 (or “Bloody 98” as it’s called), which runs east-west along the coastline through the Panhandle, that have the greatest potential for disaster.

• Many times accidents are caused by tailgating or speeding.
• Accidents are caused by drivers trying to “beat the red” by speeding through intersections while the light is yellow or while it turns red.
• One intersection was known to be dangerous because of how it’s laid out with people going at high speed on a street with two sharp curves.
• Failing to yield the right of way or running a stop sign is a common issue at one intersection.
• Vehicles failing to slow down due to traffic congestion is a common problem at another intersection.
• The high number of accidents at one intersection was often the result of high vehicle volume, motorists coming out of a convenience store, failing to use turn signals and running red lights.

The fifteen recent accidents U.S. 98 intersections in Walton County motivated that county’s Sheriff’s Office to launch an aggressive driving campaign. Marked and unmarked patrol cars at the intersections enforced laws against speeding, reckless or careless driving, texting, running red lights and following too closely.

But law enforcement can only do so much. The sheriff’s office stated that from spring break 2016 to spring break 2017 there was nearly a 30% increase in accidents despite the fact the number of traffic stops doubled.

Though not paying attention and negligence causes many accidents, it’s speed that kills, said Tracey Vause, Okaloosa County’s Chief of Emergency Services. “A crash itself can be caused by any number of reasons, but the severity of the injuries is always a factor of speed.”

If you or a loved one suffered an injury caused by an accident at an intersection, contact Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne at (561) 293-2600 or fill out this online contact form. You can discuss your case, how the law may apply and your best legal options to protect your rights and obtain compensation for your injuries.