Car accidents at intersections can result in serious injury for those of us who live and work in the greater Louisville area. If you asked most people, they would probably tell you that the most serious injury accidents involving motor vehicles occur on rural two lane Kentucky highways, and that is actually inaccurate based upon information provided by the Kentucky State Police. Passenger vehicles account for more than 70% of all collisions in Kentucky, and 62% of motor vehicle collisions occurred in urban areas of Kentucky vs 38% in rural areas.
It might also surprise you to learn that 70% of motor vehicle accidents occur in daylight, and almost 78% of accidents occur on dry roadways, compared to 19% on wet roads and only 3% on those roads with ice, snow or slush.
However, the number of car accidents in intersections in Shepherdsville, Mount Washington, Shelbyville, Taylorsville, Radcliff, Elizabethtown, Jeffersontown or Louisville, Kentucky have increased over the past several years. Recent car crash data tells us a new trend is developing.
My name is John Schmidt, and as a personal injury attorney with more than 25 years of experience I am concerned about the growing number of injury accidents occurring at our intersections.
The Kentucky State Police recently reported that of the 68,920 motor vehicle collisions in 2021, 66.5% of the total occupants in the accident were killed or injured. 63% of the collisions in Kentucky occurred between two or more moving vehicles including 39% of the fatal accidents. 40% of accidents in the Kentucky happen at an intersection.
Car accidents at intersections can result in serious injury and this is why it is important to exercise constant awareness and vigilance while driving. The vast majority of serious injuries in car accidents in Kentucky occurred in head-on, sideswipe and/or angle collisions, such as those one would experience at an intersection.
It is important to note that while head on accidents only represented 3% of the total collisions, they represent 35.1% of fatal injuries. Accidents at an angle represent 32% of all collisions and 40% of those that are fatal. Many of these collisions involved left hand turns at intersections or rushing to get through an intersection as the light was changing.
Sideswipe accidents represent more than 21% of accidents but less than 10% of fatal outcomes.
It is interesting to note that less than 35% of the occupants of a motor vehicle who lost their life in a collision were wearing a safety restraint. There is an obvious benefit to wearing a seat belt.
Car accidents at intersections can result in serious injury and usually involve a head-on or angled collision. These are the most dangerous types of collisions here in Kentucky and represent the greatest risk for serious injuries or fatality. This is why it so important to be extra cautious as you approach and enter an urban Kentucky intersection, like those found in any small town or one of our major cities.
If you or a loved one have suffered injury in a car accident or motor vehicle collision in are injured in Shepherdsville, Mount Washington, Shelbyville, Taylorsville, Radcliff, Elizabethtown, Jeffersontown or Louisville, Kentucky we invite you to contact us via e-mail, schedule an appointment or call us today at (502) 509-1490 to get the important advice and counsel required to protect your personal injury claim and achieve full and fair compensation for having to endure and recover from your injuries.
