Roundabout Accidents

Clore Law · March 22 2012

Raleigh's roundabout in front of the N.C. State Bell Tower has resulted in 100 car crashes in only 20 months. Engineers from the Department of Transportation were cited in a recent article saying a single lane option would likely be simpler and more safe. They are engaging in computer modeling for an alternative. Kelly Becker, a state Department of Transportation traffic engineer said

"We don't want to make a change and cause other problems."

Responsible Roundabout Planning

There are few mandatory building procedures regarding traffic circles, unlike many other road ways. Highways and city streets are required to meet certain specifications regarding slope and width, but no such guidelines exist for roundabouts. This is bad news for North Carolina drivers. North Carolina is among the leading states for roundabout deployment. The government has a duty to make and maintain safe roads for public use. A quick search of the Internet will reveal an increase of accidents at many traffic circles across the nation. While accidents are more plentiful, thankfully they also tend to be less severe.

Roundabout Accident with Injury

These accidents tend to be "fender benders," but all car accidents present a risk of serious injury. Low speed impacts have been known to cause or re-aggravate injuries to the spine. Today's airbags deploy at speeds as low as 5 to 15 miles per hour. Airbags can be a life saver in high speed accidents, but they can do more harm than good in slower speed accidents. People have suffered abrasions, bruising and even broken bones! At what point should the government be held responsible for injuries occurring at a poorly designed roundabout? Is 10, 20 or 50 crashes enough? In this case, the magic number is 100 accidents to begin considering a safer solution. If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a car accident at a traffic circle, call the lawyers at Clore Law Group today. They will investigate your case thoroughly and will accept it on a contingency basis if they believe your injuries were due to negligent roundabout design.