In 2012, the North Carolina Department of Transportation declared Charlotte and Raleigh the cities with the highest accident rate in the state of North Carolina. “Car accidents occur due to driver inattention, failure to yield and merging, disobeying the speed limit and drunk driving,” says Thomas Bumgardner, attorney with Bumgardner Law Office. “While a road on its own may not seem like a red flag, there are definitely some areas where accidents occur in a higher density than others.”
- Harrisburg Road and Cambridge Commons Drive – CDOT declared that the crossing of Harrisburg Road and Cambridge Commons Drive is the most dangerous intersection in the area. Recently they have installed a roundabout to minimize accidents from left hand turns.
- East 4th street to Kings Drive – Another dangerous crossing area is where East 4th Street links to Kings Drive. The biggest issue is that motorists are failing to watch out for the pedestrians in the area, and often times drivers do not pay attention to car blinkers.
- 9th Street at North College – The hazardous part of driving on this road is that motorists continue to fail to acknowledge pedestrians. The amount of texting drivers in the area also leads to high accident rates.
- 8th Street – Just a little ways away from 9th Street, the same dangers of driving plague this area. Motorists are distracted by their phones rather than watching for pedestrians.
- Interstate 277, 77 and 85 – These are three extremely dangerous highways to travel on. The constant entering and exiting of cars on the highway can lead to a major accident if people fail to use their blinkers, are unable to merge properly or if someone is texting and driving.
Driving Safe in the City
- Eliminate all distractions – There’s more going on when you’re driving in a city compared to more spread out areas. This means there is no room for unnecessary distractions. So while you’re on the road, remember to avoid talking or texting on your phone, or anything else that could distract you.
- Look before you merge – Before you change lanes or turn, don’t only look in your mirrors, also turn your body and look over your shoulder. As well, you should put on your turning signal for at least 3 seconds before turning or merging.
- Be on High Alert at Intersections – At an intersection there is an accident waiting to happen on every corner. You not only have to look out for other cars that may run red lights, but also for pedestrians that are trying to cross the street.
- Expect the unexpected – If you are always expecting a driving mishap, then you’ll be on high alert and better prepared to maneuver and avoid a collision.
What Creates Dangerous Roads?
A road is just a road, so what is it about them that you have to stay on high alert for? Everything else! Many of the roads and intersections listed above have become dangerous due to external elements, not the physical road conditions themselves. “One of the most dangerous things you can do in your car is text and drive,” says Bumgardner. “People on cellular devices, rather than driving, is one of the leading causes in car accidents.”
If you have been involved in an auto accident, please contact Thomas Bumgardner with Ballantyne Legal at (704) 870-4779 for a complimentary consultation.