A green light tells you when you may go, but it doesn’t tell you what everyone else at the intersection will do. You will not know what everyone else around you will do.
Someone could make an improper turn, there could be a bike rider driving next to a bus, or there could be a pedestrian walking into the crosswalk. Something as small as this can cause you to be in a car accident.
Here are some things you can know to keep you safe at city intersections.
What you will learn
- How intersections can lead to car accidents
- Some car accidents to watch out for in the city
- How you can stay safe when driving through intersections
- What you should do if you are in a car accident
Why Intersections Can Be Dangerous
There are usually many cars driving in the same direction on the road. At an intersection, cars are driving in different directions, crossing, or coming to a stop.
Road engineers call places where vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian paths cross, merge, or diverge conflict points. There are more conflict points when there are multiple ways to drive through the intersection.
Car accidents at intersections can cause severe injuries. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, 955 people were killed in crashes occurring at intersections or classified as intersection-related across Texas in 2025. This is a statewide figure, not a count for city streets alone.
One person driving through the intersection will look at their traffic light, while someone else will look for a gap in traffic, and others may be trying to walk across.
After a car accident, it can be hard to determine what caused the accident. Someone could have jumped a red light, or failed to yield to a pedestrian who was crossing the street. After a Dallas intersection crash, the guidance at https://freeseandgoss.com explains why crash reports, photographs, and witness accounts can help establish the facts when speaking with a car accident lawyer.
Common City Car Accidents
When you are driving in a city, you should always be aware of what is going on around you. Here are some car accidents that commonly occur in the city:
Angle Accidents
If someone fails to see a stop sign, runs a red light, or drives into traffic when there isn’t room, they can cause an angle accident. Another vehicle could be hit in the side in these types of accidents.
Left Turn Accidents
Not leaving enough room when making a left turn can cause accidents as well. There may be a vehicle coming that you can’t see, like if there is a bus blocking your view.
Rear-End Collisions
If you are stopped for a traffic light, or to let someone cross the street, someone behind you may not leave enough space and rear-end you.
Turn Accidents With Pedestrians and Cyclists
There are times that you may be looking to see if there is enough room to turn, and you don’t see a bike rider going straight, or someone that is currently walking across the crosswalk.
These crashes can involve a missed signal, a misjudged gap, or a driver who fails to notice another road user.
Things To Know About Driving In Cities
Driving in the city can be risky because there are many things you need to worry about at once.
There are blind spots you need to watch out for. Large vans, buses, cars, and street signs can all block your view of pedestrians on the side of the road. You may see a light change, but not see that someone is about to cross the street.
Another reason driving in cities can be dangerous is the amount of time you are sitting in traffic. When driving to your destination, you will have to wait at several traffic lights. Some drivers will not leave enough room when making their turn and drive into the next lane of traffic.
People can also get distracted when driving in cities. They may look at a map, change their music, or be on their phone when they need to be paying attention to other vehicles driving around them.
Bad weather can also be a factor when driving through the city. If it is raining, you will have to pay more attention to other drivers, because they will not be able to stop as quickly if there is an issue.
All of these factors can contribute to someone being in a car accident, so you need to make sure you are staying alert when driving in cities.
Stay Safer When Driving Through Intersections
By knowing the hazards that can cause you to be in a car accident, you can stay safer by doing the following:
Slow Down Before You Reach An Intersection
Take a look at what is in front of you, as well as your traffic light. If your light turns yellow, stop before the intersection when you can do so safely instead of speeding up to beat the red.
Know What Is Around You
Look both ways before crossing an intersection, and make sure no one is about to walk across or is driving in the opposite lane. If you have a green light, allow others to finish their turn before driving through.
Make Sure Your Turns Are Clear
Before you make a left or right turn, check if anyone is driving towards you and if someone is walking across the street. Always follow the rules for turning on a red, if that is allowed in your area.
Leave Room For Other Vehicles
Just because you have a green light doesn’t mean you should drive through an intersection if there are cars backed up on the other side. You need to make sure you have room to stop, as well as drive through the intersection.
Avoid Distractions
Make sure you have your directions set, and put your phone away before starting your journey. If you need to re-direct, find a safe place to pull over, instead of fumbling with your phone at a red light.
These are just some tips that can keep you safer when driving through city intersections.
Make Roads Safer For Everyone
Although there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe, there are some ways roads can be made safer for everyone.
Making sure roads are properly marked and allowing drivers to see farther when they approach an intersection can be helpful. Having turn arrows on traffic lights, so you can know when it’s safe to turn, can also keep drivers safer.
Allowing pedestrians to have a few seconds before the light turns green for drivers will allow people to step into the crosswalk and be seen by others who may be driving through the intersection.
Report any hazards to your local department, such as faded crosswalk lines or non-working street lights.
What To Do If You Get In A Car Accident
As stated earlier, you never know what will happen when you are on the road. If you get in a car accident, make sure you take care of injuries and call the police if necessary.
Once the police arrive, they will give you instructions on what to do next. Do not move someone who is badly injured unless they are in immediate danger.
If it’s safe and local rules allow, move a drivable vehicle out of active traffic. Get information from the other driver, and take pictures of any damage, as well as the accident scene.
Make sure you gather information on how the vehicles were positioned, and who was driving which direction, along with any witnesses that may have seen what happened.
Take pictures, but make sure you are safe when doing so. Also note the time and weather, in case there are surveillance cameras nearby that captured the accident.
If you are injured, seek medical attention, and keep all records, as well as your police report, to help when talking to doctors and insurance companies.
Conclusion
When driving through city intersections, there are many hazards you can encounter, so you need to stay alert and drive safely to keep yourself from being in an accident.