Ignoring The Signs – Why Failure To Adhere To Traffic Control Measures Is A Major Cause Of Car Accidents

While many people sort of think of car accidents, or minor ones at least, as a fact of life, and something most people will have to deal with at some point in their lives as drivers, it is still the case that the majority of bumps, collisions, and even more serious accidents could be avoided. Most car accidents are caused by somebody, whether it is the driver of one of the cars involved, a pedestrian, a cyclist or motorcyclist, or even the people who should have been maintaining the roads. This is why car accident related litigation is so common these days – where there is someone at fault, someone is normally going to sue them.

Where driver error comes into play in a car accident, one common cause is the failure to properly adhere to traffic control measures in place on the roads. Here we look at what this means and why it is so dangerous.

What Kind of Traffic Control Measures do People Ignore?

Traffic control devices and measures can mean anything from traffic lights and pedestrian crossings to road markings, signs and temporary things like warning lights on the freeway and traffic cones where road works are taking place. Anything designed to instruct the driver to take a certain course of action, whether it be to stop, wait, change lanes, or take an alternative route, is effectively a traffic control measure.

Why Do People Ignore Them?

There are a number of reasons why signs, markings, lights and traffic control and safety equipment gets ignored by drivers. If it is something temporary, it could be that a driver who knows the route well is driving on auto pilot and doesn’t notice the new sign or warning there. This is often the case when road works are being carried out or when temporary deviations and other measures have been put in place to cope with adverse weather or the fallout from an earlier road incident. In other cases, drivers may judge that it is safe to ignore the red light or run the pedestrian crossing because they don’t see any hazards, and think they can make it. In some cases, it is simply that the driver is reckless, perhaps because they are in a hurry.

Why Is It So Important to Adhere to These Controls?

Even if it looks safe to do something, things can change in an instant on the roads and therefore if the signs are telling you not to go, you shouldn’t. While it may sometimes seem over careful, the traffic control measures are there for a reason and when it comes to something with the potential to do as much damage as a car, as well as cost you a lot of money in the ensuing lawsuit, it is always best to err on the side of caution. As many drivers will attest, something as simple as running a red light or failing to stop at a level crossing because you think there is plenty of time, can have devastating and sometimes even fatal results, so it is always best to ‘do as you’re told’ on the road.