Most Dangerous Intersections in Calgary for Motor Vehicle Accidents
Hundreds of thousands of people enter downtown Calgary each day. According to statistics from the City of Calgary, more than 344,000 people made daily commutes into the city’s core each day before the pandemic. Over the past few years as restrictions have eased and the pace of life has begun returning to normal, traffic congestion in downtown Calgary has reached up to 85% of pre-pandemic levels.
More than half of the people entering the downtown core each day do so by private vehicle. Many of these vehicles are occupied by only a single rider. As a result, the volume of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other motor vehicles on the roads is currently the highest it has been in years.
With so many vehicles on the road, it is important for Calgary drivers to remain vigilant about their own safety as well as the safety of other road-users. Unfortunately, distracted driving is still a major concern.
Navigating the congested downtown streets of Calgary can be difficult for even the most attentive, overly cautious motorist. Sharing the road with thousands of commuters, navigating construction zones and detours, paying attention to traffic signals and directional signs, staying mindful of pedestrians and cyclists, and managing other environmental factors can be overwhelming for drivers in the city. If a driver takes their eyes off the road – even for a split second – they could cause a motor vehicle accident with life-changing consequences.
Sadly, many motorists still do not seem to appreciate the dangers of distracted driving. For several years in a row, distracted driving has been the province’s leading cause of motor vehicle accidents. Indeed, distracted driving is responsible for more than a quarter of crashes in Alberta.
While driver negligence – including distracted driving – is perhaps the leading cause of collisions in Calgary, many other environmental factors come into play. Everything from the weather to the city’s urban design can contribute to the circumstances that lead to injury-causing motor vehicle accidents.
Motor vehicle accidents are often the result of inclement winter weather. Each year, winter weather leads to hundreds of collisions in Calgary. Slippery road conditions, reduced visibility, rapid weather changes, and inadequate snow and ice removal from the city streets can increase the likelihood of being involved in a wintertime collision.
However, motor vehicle accidents can happen at any time of year. And in Calgary, owing to a number of infrastructure issues, collisions that cause injuries are more likely to occur at certain intersections than others.
Which Intersections Are Most Dangerous?
There are many factors that can increase the likelihood of injury-causing accidents, not just for motor vehicle operators, but for pedestrians and cyclists, as well. When drivers have difficulty seeing vulnerable road-users, when necessary traffic signals are absent, when the frustrations of sitting in congested traffic cause motorists to make irresponsible decisions, vulnerable road-users lawfully crossing the street at intersections could be severely injured. They could even lose their lives.
The City of Calgary has a security rating system to score the safety of every intersection. This ranking system can help identify where new traffic lights and additional safety measures are required. This system of evaluation has helped identify the worst ranked intersections in Calgary.
According to this information, as well as data compiled from multiple sources, the most dangerous intersections in Calgary are:
- Riverfront Avenue and First Street S.W.
- 128th Avenue and Redstone Street-Skyview Ranch Road N.E.
- Bridlewood Road and James McKevitt Road
- 80th Avenue and Martha’s Way/52nd Street NE
- Shaganappi Trail and Sherwood Gate NW
- Westwinds Drive and 47th Street NE
- Macleod Trail at 25th Avenue
- St. George’s Drive at 12th Street N.E.
- 16th Avenue N.W. to 14th Street N.W.
- Fairmount Drive and Southland Drive S.E.
What To Do After Being Struck by a Vehicle
Pedestrians and cyclists are the least likely road-users to be seen at dangerous intersections. They are also the most likely to sustain severe injuries as the result of being struck by a negligent driver while crossing the road.
If you were struck by a motor vehicle while walking or riding your bike, it is important to seek immediate medical attention, even if you do not feel as though you have been severely injured. In the moments immediately following a traumatic event, the body often goes into shock, producing adrenaline that can delay or diminish the symptoms of injuries. Seeking emergency medical attention can help identify significant injuries before they have a chance to worsen.
Additionally, it is important to seek personalized legal advice from a Calgary car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Doing so may be greatly beneficial for your financial recovery.
Anyone who has been injured in a motor vehicle accident – including pedestrians and cyclists – should be able to collect Section B benefits. This insurance coverage is intended to help injured accident survivors afford the costs of medically necessary, injury-related expenses.
You may also be entitled to compensation, even if the driver who struck you fled the scene of the collision or was uninsured at the time of the accident. Survivors of hit-and-run accidents or accidents caused by uninsured drivers should be able to access insurance coverage through Alberta’s Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Program (MVAC).
However, insurance providers do not always make it easy for injured accident survivors to collect the coverage they should be owed. To learn about the compensation to which you should be entitled after being struck by a negligent driver, contact us today.
Book a Free Initial Consultation
The streets of Calgary can be dangerous for all road-users. If you were hurt in a motor vehicle accident at one of our city’s many unsafe intersections, it is important to make sure your rights are protected.
To receive personalized, case-specific legal feedback, call Preszler Injury Lawyers today and schedule a free initial consultation on your case. Our car accident lawyers serving Calgary are standing by to take your call.
