Car accidents do not happen in random locations for random reasons. They result from a combination of driver behaviors, road designs, and environmental conditions. For example, busy roads with a two-way stop instead of a four-way stop might experience a high number of crashes caused by a failure to yield the right of way.
The most dangerous roads/intersections in St. Catharines, ON, arise for many reasons. If you suffer an injury in the city, Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers will review your situation and explain your legal options for pursuing compensation.
Contact our law office at (289) 301-9496 for a free initial consultation to learn more.
How Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Car Accident in St. Catharines, ON
Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers has fought for injured people in St. Catharines, Ontario, since 1981. Our St. Catharines car accident lawyers have recovered over $100 million in compensation for our clients.
If you suffer an injury, our lawyers can provide the following services:
- A free case evaluation to discuss your injuries and your options for compensation
- Investigation of your crash to gather evidence for your case
- Preparation of your insurance claim and negotiations to try to resolve it
- Litigation against insurers that refuse to settle claims on fair terms
A collision can cause catastrophic injuries that require long-term medical treatment and therapy. Contact our St. Catharines personal injury lawyers to learn about your rights after a car crash.
Why Do Crashes Cluster in St. Catharines?
In 2020, the most recent version of Ontario’s Road Safety Annual Report gave the following traffic crash statistics for St. Catharines:
- 1,221 total crashes
- Two fatal crashes
- 178 non-fatal injury crashes
These traffic collisions caused:
- Two deaths
- 211 non-fatal injuries
According to the road safety report, most of these crashes happen on dry roads with clear visibility during daylight hours. Thus, surface and visibility conditions play little to no role in most accidents. Instead, dangerous driving habits like speeding, inattention, intoxication, and aggression cause most traffic collisions.
However, crashes do not happen randomly. Traffic congestion, poor road design, and inadequate traffic controls will turn driver errors into collisions. For example, congested roads are less forgiving when drivers speed or tailgate because the drivers have a smaller margin for error.
Crash Hotspots in St. Catharines
Crashes on roads and intersections usually happen for different reasons and produce different results. Some of the more dangerous locations to drive in St. Catharines include the following:
Dangerous Roads in St. Catharines, ON
Road crashes often happen when drivers rear-end or sideswipe other drivers. Sideswipe collisions happen when drivers make unsafe lane changes. When motorists fail to check their blind spots and rely on their rearview and side mirrors, they can hit pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles.
When drivers sideswipe other automobiles, they usually only damage their vehicles. But sideswipes can cause severe or even fatal injuries in pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and motorcycle accidents.
Police also refer to rear-end crashes as front-to-rear crashes because the front end of one vehicle strikes the rear end of the other vehicle.
Causes of front-to-rear crashes include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Following too closely
Rear-end collisions cause injuries when your body whips back and forth. The stresses can cause whiplash, concussions, and fractured ribs.
Some locations identified by the Niagara Region as crash hotspots in St. Catharines include:
- Welland Ave. between Grantham Ave. and Export Ave.
- Ontario St. between Byron Ave. and Scott St. West
- Lakeshore Rd. between Geneva St. and Shoreline Dr.
These roads are some of the busiest in St. Catharines. The Niagara Region report lists inattentive and aggressive driving as significant factors in many of these crashes.
Dangerous Intersections in St. Catharines, ON
Intersection crashes occur when one driver fails to yield to another road user.
This violation can happen in a few situations, including:
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Disobeying yield signs
- Turning left across another vehicle’s path
- Turning right into another vehicle’s path
- Driving through an occupied crosswalk
Crashes in intersections usually produce side-impact or angle collisions. These crashes often cause severe injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen. The vehicles generate more crash energy when they travel toward each other in angle collisions, and the door can collapse in side-impact crashes.
Some dangerous intersections in St. Catharines identified by Niagara Region include the following:
- Church St. and Geneva St.
- Carlton St. and North Service Rd. at Geneva St.
- Niagara St. and Vine St./Facer St.
- Neilson Ave. at Welland Ave.
Pedestrian and bicycle collisions also happen at intersections. The most dangerous intersections for non-motorized road users include Fourth Ave. at Seventh St. South and Lake St. at Lakeshore Rd.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced St. Catharines Car Accident Lawyers
Car accidents can happen anywhere and at any time. If you suffer an injury in a car accident, contact Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your options for pursuing compensation.