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Tragic Omaha Motorcycle Accident Points to Dangerous Driving Behaviors

By Jason Bottlinger on September 1, 2020

A recent accident at the intersection of 132nd Street and Industrial Road has highlighted the reckless driving behaviors that have become commonplace on Omaha roadways. On August 20th, a semi-trailer ran a red light at the intersection and collided with a motorcyclist. Although EMTs rushed to the scene and transferred the motorcyclist to the hospital, he sadly passed away due to his injuries, as reported by The Independent.

This tragic incident points to a constant issue at intersections throughout Omaha and Nebraska as a whole. Drivers should always respect the right of way at intersections and obey all traffic laws, no matter the circumstances. However, while many drivers understand these basic driving tenants, just a few bad apples can easily spoil the bushel and cause a collision.

How Negligent Drivers Make Intersections Dangerous

Drivers should take great care when navigating intersections around Omaha. Our roadways can become rather complicated with several lanes of traffic merging at various interjections and multiple cars coming and going in every direction. However, there are clear guidelines that all drivers should follow at an intersection. Stoplights, traffic signs, and lane markers all provide guidance on how to approach an intersection. Failure to abide by them can, and often does, lead to serious accidents.

Sadly, many drivers have forgotten about these basic rules, and their driving behavior can also play a huge factor in how safe an intersection is. Drivers can become easily distracted these days due to cell phones, Bluetooth devices, and fellow passengers. In addition, many drivers have become accustomed to speeding or making dangerous turns because they have never faced the consequences of their actions, whether it be that they have never been in a car accident or that they have never received a traffic ticket.

Negligent drivers are, and have always been, a societal problem. Many negligent drivers learn by watching others. When they were growing up, they may have spotted a parent or sibling using their phone while driving or ignoring the right of way. Others may have learned all the right driving practices when they were young but lost their teachings because they noticed other drivers shirking the rules. They may have been patiently waiting at a stoplight and seen a driver in front of them ignore a “No Turns on Red” sign. Thinking that it is commonplace for drivers to shirk the rules, they may do the same, ultimately developing a poor driving practice.

These issues are incredibly common for truck drivers. Truck companies tend to pay by the delivery, meaning drivers are expected to take on more and more orders. This means that they will often speed between pick-up and drop-off points to complete an order on time, thus making them more money in the long run. However, drivers should always put safety over profits. They have a responsibility to obey traffic laws like anyone else and avoid driving over the speed limit. When they do so, they can become liable for any accidents they cause.

But there are ways that drivers can curb these dangerous practices and make Omaha roads safer for everyone. Whether it be speeding, dangerous left turns, or texting while driving, all of these actions are choices made by individual driving. This means that if more drivers reminded themselves of the safe driving practices they were taught, fewer accidents would occur on our roadways.

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Posted in: Car Accidents

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