No matter where a person lives in Rhode Island, everyone can think of at least one intersection that seems more dangerous than the others do. This is the intersection where drivers are more likely to see a car crash than any other. Recently, the best data available was compiled to identify 60 (10 intersections per state) of the most dangerous intersections throughout six New England states.

According to the data compiled, 30 people died and more than 3,000 people were injured in the 5,000 accidents that occurred just at the 60 intersections identified. Fortunately, it appears that the number of fatalities is declining. One of the intersections identified here in Rhode Island is on Rt. 138 Hopkinton. The local police are installing stop signs there in an attempt to make the intersection safer.

That is not the only effort by the state to make the streets safer, however. Last July, the state published its plan for reducing crashes and the injuries, fatal or otherwise, that accompany them. The Highway Safety Plan for Fiscal Year 2014 outlines how the state intends to achieve that goal.

Despite any efforts of state or local officials to improve the safety of the roads, the unpredictability of drivers will never eliminate the possibility of accidents. The factors that assign fault in an accident have a lot to do with drivers instead of the roads. Factors such as distracted driving, drunk driving, texting and the like increase the likelihood of a crash. When someone is seriously injured or killed in a car crash caused by the negligence of another, the injured party -- or the family of a fatally injured victim -- may file civil action seeking damages available by law.

Source: golocalworcester.com, Most Dangerous Intersections in New England, Kate Nagle, Feb. 24, 2014