Most Dangerous Intersections in America

The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) is calling on drivers to submit dangerous intersections as part of a national movement to make intersections safer. Here’s the link: http://saferoadssavelives.org/dangerous-intersections/

The National Safety Council estimates that over the Memorial Day weekend there will be more than 400 traffic fatalities and another 39,400 injuries resulting from motor vehicle collisions.

With millions of motorists hitting the roads this weekend, NCSR, a national road safety organization, has launched a new online system to give motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists a resource to submit the most dangerous intersections they come across.

The online form allows motorists to quickly submit an intersection they’ve driven through. After the information is collected, NCSR will launch an interactive map allowing drivers to see where problem intersections in their area are.

Also, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15-to-20-year-olds, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. So, KeyBank is expanding a free program designed to improve teen driving skills and raise awareness about the importance of proper training for young drivers. (Read: KeyBank Offers Key to Safe Teen Driving Program)

“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the summer travel season and drivers need to take extra caution as they head out on the roads this summer,” said David Kelly, president and executive director of NCSR.

According to the National Safety Council, for the past six years, the Memorial Day holiday weekend has averaged 12.2 percent more traffic fatalities than similar non-holiday periods.

This is likely due in part to increased travel – leaving motorists at an increased risk for accidents caused by red-light runners. Red-light runners cause hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries each year.

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that in 2009, 676 people were killed and 113,000 were injured in crashes that involved red light running. Two-thirds of the victims in these crashes were pedestrians, bicyclists and occupants of vehicles hit by the red light runners.

The IIHS study also showed that red light safety cameras helped save more than 150 lives in 14 of the biggest U.S. cities from 2004 to 2008. Had the cameras been operating in all 99 U.S. cities with populations more than 200,000, more than 800 lives could have been saved.

NCSR will use the information collected on the dangerous intersections collected across the U.S. to share with local legislators and law enforcement to help improve safety at the intersections.

NCSR is a nonprofit advocacy organization that brings together industry leaders, community leaders and concerned citizens in support of red-light safety camera technology.

Photo courtesy: NCSR