Intersections are dangerous places by nature, as they are locations where two or more directions of opposite-moving traffic cross or intersect. If everyone at an intersection obeyed the law and adhered to roadway rules, collisions would not happen. Unfortunately, driver error is a leading cause of intersection accidents.
If you get involved in an intersection accident in Albuquerque, you may be able to recover financial compensation for your medical bills, property damage and other losses by filing a claim or personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party. Hiring an experienced Albuquerque car accident attorney to represent you can make it easier to achieve the case results you need.
Types of Intersection Accidents
Intersection accidents can be particularly deadly due to the potential for high-speed and head-on collisions involving vehicles moving in opposite directions. In addition, an intersection accident can involve three or more vehicles, as one crash could lead to a chain reaction involving other drivers also approaching the intersection.
Common types of intersection accidents include:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone or side-impact collisions
- Left-turn accidents
- Right-turn accidents
- Wrong-way accidents
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
Intersection accidents come with a high risk of severe and fatal injuries to those involved. Factors such as high-velocity movement and combined impact force (when two vehicles collide at their combined speeds in a head-on collision) increase the severity of these accidents.
Common Causes of Intersection Accidents in Albuquerque
Intersection accidents are almost always preventable. In most cases, they arise due to careless or reckless driver behaviors. If a driver violates a traffic law or behaves negligently behind the wheel, meaning he or she fails to operate a vehicle with due care, this can result in an intersection crash.
Common causes include:
- Failing to stop at a red light or stop sign
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Improper signaling
- Keeping an improper lookout
- Inattention or distracted driving
- Texting while driving
- Driving while intoxicated
- Drowsy driving
- Speeding
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Equipment failures, such as brake failure
- Road defects, such as broken traffic lights
Since New Mexico is a fault-based car insurance state, individuals involved in intersection accidents in Albuquerque must determine who is at fault for the crash before they can file car insurance claims. The driver or party responsible for causing the wreck will be held financially responsible, or liable, for innocent victims’ losses.
Top Intersection Accident Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents that take place in intersections are often catastrophic, meaning they inflict a severe level of harm on those involved. Survivors can suffer serious injuries that impact them for life and may require months or even years of physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Common examples of intersection accident injuries are:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back and spine injuries
- Paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia)
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Burn injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Bruises and hematomas
- Losses of limb
Sadly, many intersection accidents in Albuquerque are fatal. In 2020, 398 victims lost their lives in traffic accidents in New Mexico. One-third (33 percent) of these accidents involved alcohol impairment.
Who Has the Right-of-Way at an Intersection in Albuquerque?
The right-of-way refers to a driver or individual’s right to proceed across a roadway. It is imperative for drivers to know and understand New Mexico’s right-of-way laws to properly proceed at intersections. Broken right-of-way laws are often behind collisions that occur in these locations.
The City of Albuquerque Code of Ordinances § 8-2-1-34 states that at an intersection, a driver must yield the right-of-way to any vehicle that approaches first. If two or more vehicles approach an intersection at the same time, drivers on the left must yield to the vehicle on the right.
Pedestrians in Albuquerque are always given the right-of-way at crosswalks. Drivers must slow down or stop to allow pedestrians in crosswalks in their half of the road to cross. At an intersection with a traffic-control signal, pedestrians must wait for the green light or “Walk” signal to cross.
Who Is Liable for an Intersection Accident?
Liability for an intersection accident in Albuquerque will depend on the circumstances. In many cases, the driver who violated a traffic law leading up to the accident will be held liable. If a driver ran a red light and crashed into a vehicle that had the right-of-way, for example, the driver who broke the law would be liable.
In an intersection accident involving more than two vehicles, liability can be difficult to determine. In a chain-reaction rear-end collision, for instance, the driver who initiated the very first collision could be responsible for every other driver’s damages – even if his or her car did not touch the vehicle at the front of the line of cars.
Motor vehicle drivers are not the only potential defendants in intersection accident cases in Albuquerque. Some cases involve third parties, such as the automaker responsible for a defective car part or the government agency that should have ensured proper road maintenance. A negligent driver’s employer, taxi company, bus company, or Uber or Lyft are also possible defendants.
Recovering Compensation for an Intersection Accident in Albuquerque
If you get hurt in an intersection accident in New Mexico, it is important to understand your right to seek justice and financial compensation for your losses. The state’s insurance system gives you the right to file a claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault party. If you or your car accident lawyer can prove fault, you can recover financial damages.
All drivers in New Mexico are required to carry the following amounts of insurance to pay for accidents they cause:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury or death
- $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death
- $10,000 per accident for property damage
An insurance claim could lead to compensation from the at-fault party for your past and future medical expenses, property repairs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, an insurance company may use several tactics during your claim to convince you to accept a settlement that does not adequately compensate you.
Protect your rights during an intersection accident claim in Albuquerque by hiring an experienced car accident lawyer to take over settlement negotiations for you. Contact an attorney at The Fine Law Firm today for a free case consultation.