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Four-way Stop Accidents

Four-way stop accidents can be one of the most dangerous kind of traffic collisions.  Four-way stops, also knon as all-way stops, are intersections that have stop signs controlling all four sections of road where they cross or converge. Four-way stops are the site of thousands of car accidents each year and are designated ‘high crash areas’.  Drivers that fail to stop or are confused about four-way stop rules can easily cause a deadly accident. 

Four-Way Stop Accident Impact: Broadside, Side-Impact, Right-Angle, T-Bone

four way stop accident attorney seattle washingtonCrashes at four-way stops can be very serious.  These are typically broadside collisions, also known as side-impact, right-angle or T-bone collisions, in which the side of one vehicle is impacted by the front or rear of another vehicle, forming the "T".  

Studies have shown that side-impact crashes account for 13% of all car accidents and 18% of all fatal car accidents. These t-bone impact collisions often result in brain injuries, pelvic and torso injuries, and spine and neck injuries.

Four-way Stop Accident Statistics

According to a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed that traffic accidents that involved a stop sign violation accounted for 70% of all motor vehicle crashes.  Approximately one-third of these collisions result in  injuries to either a vehicle driver, passenger or pedestrian. 

Washington State Four-Way Stop Rule

According to the Washington State Department of Licensing’s Washington Driver Guide “at a four-way stop the driver reaching the intersection first, goes first (after coming to a complete stop). If more than one vehicle arrives at the same time, the vehicle on the right goes first.