Dothan’s 5 Most Dangerous Intersections

Are you looking to avoid risky roadways in Dothan? In recent years, traffic crash figures show that the city’s five most dangerous intersections are:

• West Main and Ross Clark Circle
• Montgomery Highway and the Circle
• West Main and 2nd Avenue
• South Oates Street and the Circle
• West Main and Westgate Parkway.

While the design of these intersections could be a factor in some car accidents, drivers need to be careful. If they are distracted, drowsy, impaired, driving recklessly, or any combination of the above, drivers can make these dangerous intersections potentially deadly ones.

Protecting your safety and legal rights while driving through Dothan’s intersections is much easier when you understand how and why intersection accidents happen, who might be responsible when they occur, and the help you can seek as you pursue compensation.

What Makes These Intersections So Dangerous?

Dothan’s five most dangerous intersections have earned their unfortunate distinction. The following are reasons why these intersections pose crash risks:

• High traffic volume — Commuter and commercial traffic can be heavy, particularly on Ross Clark Circle, which is one of the crossroads at three of the five most dangerous intersections. More cars increase the potential for chaos.
• Complex road design — Many Circle intersections have multiple lanes, turn signals, and mergers. The complexity frequently creates confusion, and confusion leads to accidents.
• Higher speed limits — Ross Clark Circle has a 50 mph limit even within the city, which is faster than comparable roadways in other cities. This contributes to intersection accidents, particularly T-bone collisions.
• Signal-related issues — While traffic signals can help reduce T-bones and other kinds of accidents, they can also increase rear-end collisions when inattentive drivers going at high speeds suddenly have to brake because a light turns red faster than anticipated.

What Are the Deadliest Types of Intersections?

Any intersection presents the potential for an accident, but some are far more dangerous than others.

The most dangerous types of intersections include:

• Four-way intersections with signals — Intersections where four high-speed roads meet carry the greatest potential for a deadly intersection accident. T-bone crashes and rear-end accidents are common when drivers react quickly to changing lights by stopping short or speeding through, leaving other drivers without the ability to react.
• Unsignalized cross intersections — While intersections with no signals are generally lower-speed, lower-traffic roads, confusion about the right of way can make for a high-impact, potentially deadly collision.
• Beltway junctions — Beltways like Ross Clark Circle can be dangerous to navigate, particularly around areas where they meet other main thoroughfares, or “junctions.” Complicated mergers and high traffic are two main reasons these intersections can prove deadly.

What Are the Top Reasons for Intersection Accidents?

Some intersections may be dangerous all on their own. Still, drivers deserve plenty of blame.
 

The following are some of the most common reasons why intersection accidents occur:

• Distracted driving — In 2023, distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives nationwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. Alabama passed legislation banning cellphone use while driving. Still, the behavior continues. Combine distracted driving with dense traffic and complex intersections, and accidents are bound to happen.
• Speeding — Ross Clark Circle’s 50 mph speed limit leads to many people driving 5, 10, or 15 miles faster. These high speeds increase the odds of accidents and the severity of the accidents that do occur.
• Failure to yield — When intersections lack traffic signals, drivers must know when to yield and when to proceed. A driver’s failure to yield can quickly turn into a T-bone accident. At the same time, yielding when you are not supposed to yield can result in a rear-end collision.

What Common Car Accidents Happen at Intersections?

Some of the most common types of car accidents that occur at intersections include the following:

• T-bone or side-impact collisions
• Rear-end collisions
• Head-on crashes (left turn into oncoming traffic)
• Multi-vehicle accidents.

The merging of roads at intersections brings together cars traveling at high speeds. If drivers aren’t diligent and the roadways aren’t carefully designed, accidents are bound to occur.

Could the City of Dothan Be Held Liable for a Deadly Intersection?

Yes, liability may fall on a government agency rather than a private citizen under some circumstances. Issues with the road design, signage, or signals, or the failure to fix a reported and/or known hazard, such as a visibility obstruction, could be possible grounds to hold the City of Dothan or another government agency accountable for the harm caused by an intersection crash.

What To Do If You Are Injured in a Dothan Intersection Accident?

If you are injured in a Dothan intersection accident, you should call the police and seek medical attention before you do anything else. Next, you should try to take as many of the following steps as possible:

• Document the scene — Take photos and videos of vehicle damage, accident debris, road and weather conditions, signals and signs, visible injuries, and the broader area surrounding the scene.
• Collect information — Gather names, license and plate numbers, insurance details, and contact information of all involved parties. You’ll also want to collect witnesses’ contact information. They can provide third-party testimony that can strengthen your car accident claim.
• Preserve all documentation — Carefully maintain a file of all your medical records, invoices, bills, receipts, proof of lost wages, financial documents, and other relevant documentation that shows the extent of the financial damage your injuries have caused you.
• Contact a lawyer — An experienced car accident attorney can review your case, help you file your claim, handle all communications with insurers, investigate the accident, gather evidence to establish liability, and fight for maximum compensation at the negotiating table or in the courtroom.

Get Help from an Experienced Dothan Car Accident Attorney

While the deadline for filing a car accident lawsuit against a private citizen is two years in Alabama, it’s only 12 months for a claim against a county and six months for claims against a municipality. Act swiftly, or you may severely limit your legal options.

At Gartlan Injury Law, we offer a communication-focused, people-first legal team that will support you and advocate for you with compassion and tenacity. If you’ve suffered injuries in an intersection accident caused by someone else’s negligence, we can help. Contact us today for your free consultation.

Visit Our Alabama Car Accident Law Offices