A New Haven Auto Accident Can Happen On Side Streets Too

When you think about getting into a New Haven auto accident you might often think about the dangers presented by high speed and distraction on the highway, but it’s important to remember that these types of accidents can also happen on side streets as well.  This was the case with a woman in Milford who lost control of her vehicle as she was turning on to a side street and ended up making contact with the wires that were holding up a utility pole.  After the accident she was transported to Bridgeport Hospital where no other information was made available at the time of the crash.

There are dangers that are particular to driving on side streets that you might not think of when you’re thinking about how to avoid getting into an accident.  When you’re driving at high speeds on the highway you might be thinking about how to keep yourself safe, but when you’re driving at lower speeds on side streets where there aren’t as many moving parts you may consider yourself much safer.  Truthfully the chances of a severe accident that results in an injury is likely smaller on side streets, but it is not zero so you should always be considering the important safety steps you can take to make sure you are not injured or killed on a side street.

Some of the things you should or should not do are below and if you follow these steps you may reduce your risk of getting into an accident on a side street throughout the city.

1.) Set your GPS before you start driving and pull over if you need to change it.  This is a critical piece of safety for driving on side streets.  It is easy to take your eyes off the road to look at your GPS or adjust it as needed while still driving and that split second with your eyes off the road can lead to an accident that could cause serious damage.  Having GPS is helpful, but if it becomes a distraction it could be a problem.  You will want to make sure you are set up with directions to where you are headed before you put the car in drive and that will set you up for success along your route.

2.) Follow all street signs and lights.  It can be tempting to speed up when you see a yellow light or roll through a stop sign, but if you do you could be putting yourself and your passengers in harms way.  Many accidents on side streets occur when a driver is not following the posted signs or traffic signals properly.  Whether you see traffic coming or not it may be coming up quickly and you taking the risk of getting through an intersection a split second faster is not a risk worth taking.  If you follow all signs and lights you will put yourself in a much better position to remain safe while driving on side streets.

3.) Don’t sight see.  When you’re driving along the highway there is not that much to look at around you.  You could go miles without seeing anything change along your route.  However, when you are driving along side streets you will see change constantly.  You may see a unique building, a historic landmark or be interested in doing some people watching.  All of these will take your eyes off the road and will put you in a difficult position that will not allow you to keep yourself safe.  While it can be tempting to sight see when driving along a road with a lot to look at you need to avoid this at all costs so you can keep your eyes trained on the road in front of you.

When you’re driving on a side street there are hazards that otherwise don’t present themselves to someone who is driving on the highway which should be considered to keep yourself safe.  However, there are also the typical hazards that present themselves that can be the cause of a New Haven auto accident when you’re driving along the highway or side streets that you will want to make sure you are aware and watching out for.

If you do end up in an accident, whether it is on a side street or the highway you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience handling the type of situation you find yourself in.  Our attorneys have worked with hundreds of people in a wide variety of situations and can work with you as well.  Contact our office and one of our attorneys will learn about your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.