Serious car accidents in Birmingham typically cluster in certain locations. These crash hotspots develop due to a complex combination of factors, including road design, traffic controls, and law enforcement activity. According to local car accident statistics, just 5% of the region’s road mileage accounts for 72% of the crashes that cause serious injury or death.
When accidents happen on dangerous roads and intersections in Birmingham, Alabama, injury victims can seek compensation. A Birmingham car accident lawyer from Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers can help you pursue a claim against the at-fault driver for your injury-related losses.
Contact our Birmingham law office today at (205) 973-6417 for a free case evaluation to learn more.
How Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident on a Dangerous Road in Birmingham, AL
At Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers, we assist clients in Birmingham, AL, in standing up to the parties responsible for their injuries. Since our firm’s founding, we’ve successfully recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in court awards and settlements for injured people like you.
After a car accident caused by another driver’s carelessness, our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can provide the following services:
- Assessing your crash and educating you about your legal options
- Gathering evidence and building a case against the at-fault driver
- Filing an insurance claim and negotiating to resolve it on fair terms
- Pursuing a lawsuit against the liable driver if their insurer refuses to negotiate
The significant financial losses you incur in an auto accident can make it hard to address your physical injuries. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a Birmingham car accident attorney and discuss your options for seeking fair compensation under Alabama law.
Factors That Create Crash Hotspots in Birmingham
The most dangerous roads in the Heart of Alabama are also its most congested. This isn’t a coincidence — heavy traffic increases the likelihood of destructive interactions between road users.
Drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists make mistakes. For instance, a driver might glance at their phone for just a few seconds and cause a serious pedestrian accident when they fail to see someone crossing the street. While this could happen anywhere, it’s far more likely to occur in Downtown Birmingham than on a quiet rural road.
Many different factors can make a road unforgiving of errors. The road design might include confusing intersections or tight curves that increase the risk of collisions. Drivers may risk losing control of their vehicles because the speed limits are set too high. Pedestrians and bicyclists might face additional risks due to a lack of crosswalks.
Crash clusters form when careless driving combines with these and other environmental factors to increase the likelihood of a collision. For example, according to a recent Crash Facts report, over 56% of all urban crashes occur in business or shopping districts. These areas are congested and often filled with distractions that can take a driver’s attention off the road.
Dangerous Roads in Birmingham
Road collisions occur on road segments between intersections. They usually take the form of rear-end or sideswipe collisions.
Sideswipes happen when vehicles collide side to side, typically when a driver makes an unsafe passing or lane-change maneuver. Rear-end crashes occur when the front of one vehicle strikes the rear of another. These crashes often result from tailgating, speeding, and distracted driving.
According to the high-injury network map contained in the Heart of Alabama Safety Action Plan, the following roads and highways are some of the most dangerous in Jefferson County, which encompasses Birmingham:
- Flat Top Rd.
- US-78/AL-5 north of I-22
- Minor Pkwy.
- Snowville Brent Rd.
- AL-269/Birmingport Rd.
- US-11/Bessemer Rd.
- Ave. W
- Rugby Ave.
- US-280
- US-78 east of 24th St.
The map doesn’t identify crashes on interstate highways, such as I-20 and I-65, because they aren’t under local jurisdiction. Therefore, the local governments can suggest improvements to them, but they don’t decide whether those improvements happen.
Birmingham’s Hazardous Intersections
Intersection collisions happen where roads meet. These locations can include signalized intersections, uncontrolled intersections, and ramps leading to or from a highway.
Regardless of whether an intersection features signs or traffic lights, drivers must follow the right-of-way rules to avoid a collision. Crashes are common when one driver fails to yield to another with the right of way.
Most of the intersections in Downtown Birmingham appear on the region’s high-injury network map, as these locations see heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic. 3rd Avenue is a particularly dangerous road, with crash hotspots at several intersections west of I-65, including its intersections with Center Street, Princeton Parkway, and 9th Street.
Contact Our Experienced Birmingham Car Accident Lawyers For a Free Consultation
Birmingham car accidents often result from careless, impaired, or distracted driving. Contact Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers to learn more about how we can help you seek compensation from the driver responsible for causing your injuries. Our Birmingham car accident attorneys offer a free initial consultation.