North Carolina traffic planners and policymakers face a tricky contradiction when approaching road safety. On the one hand, dangerous driving behaviors cause most car accidents. This means crashes could, in theory, happen anywhere. On the other hand, car accident statistics show that collisions tend to cluster on the most dangerous roads/intersections in Charlotte, NC.
State law gives you the right to seek compensation when you get injured on these roads and intersections due to another driver’s negligence. A Charlotte car accident attorney from Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers can help you stand up to the at-fault party and their insurer to pursue a fair recovery.
How Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in Charlotte, NC
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers has represented injured clients in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the last thirty years. Over the decades, our family-run firm has grown into a team of car accident attorneys with nearly two centuries of combined experience. Our Charlotte personal injury attorneys have won or settled cases worth over $850 million (see disclaimer below) for accident victims like you.
When you suffer a car crash injury because of someone else’s negligence, we can:
- Meet with you to discuss your accident and legal rights
- Build your case by gathering supporting evidence
- Submit an insurance claim and push for an adequate payout
- Litigate your case if a fair settlement agreement cannot be reached
Car accidents usually happen because of preventable driving errors. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a Charlotte car accident lawyer to discuss your injuries and the compensation we may seek.
Crash Hotspots in Charlotte
Charlotte adopted a Vision Zero Action Plan. This plan is based on the idea that car accidents are preventable events. More specifically, they often result from factors like road design, traffic-control policies, and risky driving behaviors that can be corrected.
As part of this plan, the city constructed a High-Injury Network (HIN) that maps the area’s relative crash risk by geography. This resource reveals where crashes tend to cluster in Charlotte.
The following locations appear on the most recent update to the HIN in 2024.
Dangerous Roads
Roads become dangerous when they’re unforgiving of driving mistakes. Drivers make mistakes and engage in risky behavior all the time. They escape the consequences of these actions in many places. For instance, a driver might get away with speeding on a straight, flat road with no other vehicles around.
However, other roads are less forgiving, whether because of congestion, road design, or traffic policies. For example, drivers who tailgate might have an elevated risk of rear-end collisions on crowded roads with traffic lights that create stop-and-go traffic.
In Charlotte, these roads include:
- Wilkinson Blvd.
- Old Statesville Rd.
- Tryon St.
- Sharon Amity Rd.
- Mallard Creek Church Rd.
- W.T. Harris Blvd.
- West Blvd.
- Central Ave.
- Albemarle Rd.
- Independence Blvd.
- Beatties Ford Rd.
- University City Blvd.
- Sugar Creek Rd.
- Graham St.
- Sunset Rd.
Motor vehicle accidents usually involve rear-end or sideswipe crashes. Rear-end collisions happen when drivers can’t react in time to avoid hitting the vehicles ahead of them. Distracted driving, speeding, and tailgating are all common causes of rear-end accidents.
Sideswipe crashes most often result from careless lane changes. A driver who relies on their mirrors rather than checking their blind spots might cause a sideswipe crash.
Dangerous Intersections
Intersections can become hazardous depending on several factors, including congestion and traffic controls. For example, the intersection of a highway and an arterial road might become a crash hotspot if it has a stop sign. Replacing the stop sign with a traffic light could reduce crash rates.
Another element of crash hotspot development is enforcement. Using cameras or police officers to catch drivers who disobey traffic lights or stop signs can reduce the number of red light and stop sign crashes.
According to the HIN, the following intersections in Charlotte see elevated crash numbers:
- Mint St. and 3rd St.
- Tryon St. and Trade St.
- Wilkinson Blvd. interchange with I-77 and John Belk Freeway
- Elizabeth Ave. and Charlottetown Ave.
- Poplar St. and 10th St.
- Church St. and 10th St.
- Brookshire Freeway and 10th St.
- 4th St. and Cedar St.
- Graham St. and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Intersection crashes occur when drivers fail to yield the right of way. This can happen when a driver goes out of turn or proceeds instead of waiting for traffic to clear.
Intersections can also be hotspots for pedestrian accidents. The intersection of Sugar Creek Road and Reagan Drive, for example, has an increased crash risk. When drivers fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks, collisions can result.
Contact Our Charlotte Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Getting into a car accident anywhere could injure or even permanently disable you. If you’ve been injured in an accident on one of the most dangerous roads/intersections in Charlotte, your situation demands immediate attention.
Contact Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Charlotte car accident attorney to determine how we can help you seek compensation for your injury-related losses.