Traffic Signs that Drivers Should Never Ignore

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Driving Safety

All roadway signage exists for a reason: To direct and protect us as we navigate the highway, ultimately preventing car accident and injury. Certain roadway signs are especially important, however, as some are more prevalent than others. We may see them multiple times a day throughout the course of our commute, at multiple locations. Usually stationed at busy intersections, these are sadly the signs that are most often disobeyed or disregarded entirely, causing a surplus of collisions that could have easily been prevented.

Stop and All-Way Stop

Running stop signs is one of the most common causes of pedestrian and vehicle accidents on our roadways. Regular stop signs require you to come to a full stop and to yield to the right of way to pedestrians and other oncoming traffic. All-way stops must be obeyed in the same way, but they indicate that there are four stop signs at the same intersection. This means all traffic must stop and that each driver must take turns. The first driver to stop should be the first driver to go when approaching this type of intersection.

No U-Turn or No Right Turn

Illegal turns at light signals are another big cause of crashes on our highways. Whenever you disobey a no u-turn or no right turn sign, you risk causing an accident. These signs are typically posted on divided highways and expressways, where traffic is very busy and there is a lot of pedestrian activity at the nearby crosswalks. These signs are present to organize traffic and prevent collision throughout congested parts of the highway.

Speed Limits

Speeding is always dangerous, regardless of how busy the roadways are. There were nearly 10,000 fatalities due to speeding-related crashes in 2013, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and forty-two percent of the total number of fatalities in the state of Illinois was a result of speeding incidents. Many speed limit signs list both maximum and minimum speed limits, with reduced limits in construction and maintenance zones. Drivers should be aware that driving under the minimum limit is also illegal, as it can disrupt the regular flow of surrounding traffic.

Special Crossings 

Various warning signs, such as pedestrian crosswalk and school signs are also critical for drivers to obey when encountered. These signs are present in school zones, where drivers are expected to slow down, stop, and wait for children to pass, or in crosswalks where pedestrians and bicyclists are commuting. It is important for drivers to note that the use of cell phones is prohibited when passing through a posted school speed zone.

All drivers are responsible for remaining alert to various roadway signage and share an obligation to obey them at all times. If you have been injured due to a crash related to a careless traffic violation, consult with a knowledgeable Lake County car accident attorney today. Call Salvi & Maher, LLP at 847-662-3303 for a personal consultation.

Sources:

https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a112.pdf https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812162