Intersection accidents are traffic collisions that occur at crossroads—or a junction of two or more roads. Intersections may include traffic lights or signals, four-way stops, T-intersections, and anywhere else where multiple roadways converge. Intersection accidents can involve cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and any other individual who has a legal right to be on the road.

A car t-bones a truck in an intersection with heavy traffic around.

Why Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer After an Intersection Crash?

Taking On Insurance Companies

Dealing with insurance companies can be one of the most complex parts of any motor vehicle accident or legal claim. Sometimes, insurers will attempt to get you to quickly sign a settlement before you’re aware of your full potential compensation. In other cases, they may try to unfairly delay or deny your claims. To help you avoid any of these potential headaches, your car accident lawyer will negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf so that you can focus on rest and recuperation.

Ensuring a Full Investigation

By hiring our team at Simmons and Fletcher, you’ll also be hiring a skilled investigatory team who will diligently assess every facet of your case. Our attorneys will carefully investigate the circumstances of your crash, and we’ll also gather every possible bit of evidence that will assist us in faithfully representing your case. If necessary, we’ll hire expert witnesses to testify on your behalf.

Protecting Your Rights and Compensation

At the end of the day, the ultimate goal of our work is to defend your legal rights and help you fight to recover the money that you deserve. If you’ve incurred emotional and financial damages as a result of your collision, we want to restore these costs to you. If another party’s recklessness caused your accident, we want to hold them responsible. Once we’re on your case, we’ll be by your side to help with whatever advice and support you need—every step of the way.

Why Choose Simmons and Fletcher for Your Intersection Accident Case?

At Simmons and Fletcher, we’re proud to offer a team of lawyers with decades of experience and a track record of successful case results. We’re also proud to have received hundreds of 5-star Google reviews from our array of clients, showcasing the deep care and consideration we put into helping members of our community who have been unjustly harmed.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation with a compassionate and qualified Houston intersection accident attorney.

Are Intersection Crashes Common in Houston?

Unfortunately, intersection crashes are common in Houston, as well as other urban and rural areas throughout the United States. In 2018, the Texas Department of Transportation reported 64,126 car accidents in the city of Houston. And, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, approximately 50% of all traffic injuries in the United States occur at intersections. So, statistically, about half of Houston’s car accidents—or 32,000 annual collisions using 2018 as a sample year—occur at an intersection. That’s no small number.

Which Intersections Are the Most Dangerous?

Any Houston intersection or crossroads can be the site of a potential accident. However, certain intersections in the city are statistically considered to be more dangerous intersections than others. In a nutshell, these Houston intersections see most crashes:

Bellaire & S Gessner
Bissonnet & Wilcrest
Fannin & Pierce
Fondren & West Bellfort
Hawthorne and Spur 527 & Holman
Long Point & Gessner
Patterson & Washington
Ranchester & Bellaire
Shepherd & Allen Pkwy and Kirby
Taylor & Spring and MKT Trail
West & Airline
11th & Nicholson

What Makes Houston Intersection Accidents So Dangerous?

Vehicles Crossing Paths With Pedestrians & Cyclists

One common risk factor for intersections is that it’s the place where everyone meets—motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Of course, these parties may meet elsewhere on the road. However, they’re more likely to have to cross paths and share the road with one another as they navigate the intersection, meaning that it’s more likely that bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians will get hit by a car in these areas.

These collisions may occur for one of the following common reasons:

Vehicle operators don’t properly look out for more vulnerable motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Vehicle operators, bicyclists, and/or pedestrians don’t properly understand the rules of the road.
Pedestrians and cyclists enter intersections under unsafe conditions.
Pedestrians and cyclists are distracted and don’t notice that they’ve entered a busy intersection.

High Volume of Turns and Lane Changes

Part of the reason that we have intersections in the first place is so that drivers can change directions and navigate onto new roads. As a result, intersections see a lot of movement—left-hand turns, right-hand turns, and lane changes. However, not every driver or cyclist takes care to safely execute turns. A driver may unlawfully turn without checking for bicyclists or pedestrians in their path, or they may ignore a “No Turn On Red” sign that’s meant to prevent crashes such as these. Regardless, it’s certain that the high volume of turning and lane switching vehicles at an intersection contributes to their increased level of danger.

Aggressive Driving

Drivers tend to get aggressive at intersections, often because they’re in a hurry to get to their destination and don’t want to stop or wait at an intersection. They may speed up to beat a red light and fail to properly scan the intersection for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Or, they may experience a heightened feeling of road rage at intersections, which inhibits their ability to calmly and safely operate their vehicle.

Confusion About Right-of-Way

Sometimes, cyclists and motorists aren’t universally sure about the local laws when it comes to yielding right-of-way. Maybe they’re from out of town, or maybe they’re a bicyclist who isn’t legally mandated by a license exam to study the right of way before operating a vehicle. Either way, a failure to recognize and yield the right of way can lead to more intersection accidents.

Who’s Liable for an Intersection Accident in Texas?

Determining Negligence

According to Texas state law, anyone whose negligent behavior contributes to an accident can be held financially and legally responsible for the ensuing damages. These parties may include, but are not limited to:

The driver of your car
Drivers of passenger vehicles
Pedestrians
Motorcyclists & bicyclists
Truck & bus drivers
Rideshare drivers
Transit companies
Government agencies
Manufacturers of defective products
Employers of negligent parties

When you hire a resourceful and hardworking Houston intersection accident attorney, they will help you to determine who can be held responsible for your crash, as well as help you prove that this party is negligent and owes you compensation for your damages.

Shared Fault & Comparative Negligence

Sometimes, multiple parties contribute to the intersection accident or collision. For instance, maybe a biker strayed out of their designated lane, but the driver that hit them failed to see them because they were on their phone. In this case, the bicyclist can still claim compensation from the driver as long as they’re found to be liable for less than the majority of the crash.

In other words, you can still seek financial compensation even if you were partially at fault for your accident. Under Texas law, you can still file a claim if you were responsible for 50% or less of the incident. If you’re found responsible for a percentage of the crash, your total compensation will be reduced by that same percentage.

Common Causes of Intersection Accidents

While any moment of negligence, recklessness, or failure to follow the rules of the road may result in an intersection accident, these are some of the most common causes we see in car accident claims:

Distracted Driving: Involves any activity that leads a driver to take their eyes off of the road. This includes using a mobile phone, eating or drinking, talking to passengers, tending to a child, changing the radio, using the navigation system, and more.
Failing to Yield: Some examples of failing to yield include not stopping at a stop sign, not yielding to pedestrians in a crosswalk, and not allowing oncoming traffic to pass when turning left.
Running Red Lights or Stop Signs: When a driver or cyclist runs a red light or stop sign—either by failing to stop at all or by not coming to a complete stop—they are highly likely to cause a collision with oncoming traffic that has the right of way.
Drunk or Impaired Driving: Drivers who get behind the wheel while drunk or otherwise under the influence are unable to properly identify safe situations and follow the rules of the road while driving, potentially leading to intersection accidents.

Common Types of Intersection Accidents

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions happen when one motor vehicle hits the back of another one. These crashes can range from minor fender benders to more severe accidents. They’re often caused due to driver inattention, tailgating, and panic stops.

T-Bone or Side-Impact Crashes

T-bone accidents (also known as side-impact or broadside crashes) happen when one motor vehicle hits the left or right side of another, which often happens at intersections. They’re often caused by one driver running a red light or failing to yield the right of way.

Head-On Collisions

Head-on collisions happen when two motor vehicles traveling in opposite directions crash into each other head-on. They’re often caused by distracted driving, drunk driving, fatigued driving, or a driver crossing the centerline.

What Are the Most Common Injuries in Intersection Accidents?

There’s no limit to the amount and type of injuries that may be seen after a car collision—and these injuries can vary widely, from mild to catastrophic or even fatal. Some of the most common injuries in intersection accidents, however, include:

Whiplash
Neck injuries
Broken bones
Lacerations
Internal organ damage
Paralysis
Traumatic brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries

What Damages Can I Get If I’ve Been Injured at an Intersection?

If you’ve been injured in a Houston intersection accident, you may have experienced numerous physical, financial, and emotional damages. Below, you’ll find the most common damages that you may claim compensation for with the help of a dedicated attorney:

Past, current, and future medical expenses
Rehabilitation and physical therapy
Nursing care
Property damage
Lost wages and income
Reduced earning capacity
Loss of quality of life
Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Disability
Scarring and disfigurement
Wrongful death, in the case of a fatal accident.

FAQ's

Can the Driver with a Green Light Also Be at Fault?

Running a red light is negligence as a matter of law. However, that does not mean the driver who runs the red light is always 100% liable for the damages. The driver who has a green light still has a duty to keep a proper lookout. As a driver approaches an intersection, this means looking both ways to be sure the coast is clear before you enter. This is a duty to avoid an accident when possible. Failure to do so can result in both drivers being found negligent and the jury apportioning liability between the two.

How Do You Prove a Swearing Match Case?

When a police officer arrives at the scene where both parties claim they had the green light, she will look for independent eyewitnesses who do not have a dog in the fight. That is because independent eyewitnesses are the most reliable source. A jury often thinks the same way. Thus, it is very important that you document the name, address, and phone number of any independent eyewitnesses you can locate.