Highway Intersections

Highway intersections can me very dangerous. Generally there is good visibility, but the speed of highway traffic increases the severity and reduces the perception and reaction time available to drivers. The following animation involves a highway crossover.

 

In this case a car exited a driveway from a convenience store onto a divided highway. It then slowed to turn left from the inside lane at an intersection. A tractor-trailer was traveling in the inside lane, veered to the left and impacted the car's left side. At impact the car was 3 feet into the crossover area. Damage was to the entire left side with the most severe damage centered at the B-Pillar next to the driver’s seat. Based on the damage to the car, and evidence found at the scene the car was traveling approximately 7 miles per hour and the tractor-trailer was traveling 60 miles per hour at impact. This high speed difference is typical for highway intersections and adds to the likely hood and severity of collisions.