Traffic Stalled by Crashes on Interstate 520 in Augusta, Georgia (GA)

AUGUSTA, GA- Wrdw.com writes that several collisions occurred on Interstate 520 in the eastbound lanes. The incidents led to slow traffic in the evening, and authorities requested that drivers avoid the area.*

One of the involved vehicles is reported to have overturned as a result of a crash. 

Multiple crashes often occur because a first collision event makes the chances of a secondary incident more likely. One study indicated that 9.2 percent of all car crashes are secondary to an earlier crash, and 6.2 percent are tertiary to the first incident. 

When a crash takes place, it leads to congestion and distraction, which makes the risk of a second accident more likely. The longer that it takes to clear a crash scene, the greater the risk becomes of another collision occurring. For every additional two or three minutes that it takes to clear traffic, the danger of another wreck rises one percent. 

Another problem that sometimes leads to secondary crash events is rubbernecking. Rubbernecking occurs when drivers turn to look at the aftermath of an earlier wreck event. This is a form of distracted driving that puts people on the road in danger. 

When a person is rubbernecking, the risk of them getting into a crash increases by double. Although curiosity is human nature, it is vital that drivers resist the urge to take their attention off the road for any purpose. 

There is some indication that phones have made rubbernecking more dangerous because of the tendency of some people to want to take photos of collisions as they pass in order to post those pictures on social media. Such actions are extremely hazardous to the driver and everyone around them. While focusing on the earlier crash, there is a good chance of the driver being involved in a second one. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.wrdw.com/2020/08/19/traffic-backed-up-after-series-of-accidents-on-i-520-east/

http://people.virginia.edu/~njg2q/secondary.pdf

https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/auto-rubbernecking/