Ridge Avenue cuts diagonally across Sharswood’s street grid, creating angled intersections that frequently lead to car accidents. At these unusual corners, drivers often have to look over their shoulder to see oncoming traffic, and turns can be unexpectedly sharp or wide. If a driver misjudges one of these intersections and causes a crash, they can be held liable for your injuries in a personal injury claim.
At Rand Spear – The Accident Lawyer, our Sharswood, Philadelphia car accident lawyers represent drivers and passengers hurt in collisions at these corners. We look closely at how each street meets Ridge Avenue and what each driver could see. This discussion explains why the diagonal creates these dangers and the steps to take after a collision.
Ridge Avenue Cuts Across the Street Grid in Sharswood, Philadelphia
Ridge Avenue is older than the streets around it. It began as a Lenape trail, used by the area’s Native American people before European settlement. The numbered and named streets of Sharswood came much later, laid out in a grid with square corners.
Today, Ridge Avenue forms the neighborhood’s eastern edge and meets each cross street at an angle. Along that edge, Jefferson Street and 22nd Street each meet Ridge this way. At the neighborhood’s northeast corner, Cecil B. Moore Avenue and 23rd Street both meet Ridge at the same angled intersection.
A shopping center opened at Ridge and 21st Street in 2022. Its tenants, including a Santander Bank branch, bring drivers who enter and leave Ridge near these corners.
Why Is Approaching Traffic Hard to See at Ridge Avenue’s Angled Corners?
At an angled corner, traffic on one side of Ridge Avenue comes from behind a waiting driver’s shoulder. Drivers on Sharswood’s square-cornered side streets get used to a quick look left and right before pulling out. At Ridge, that habit can miss vehicles arriving from a sharper angle.
To see farther down Ridge, drivers may need to edge forward, putting the front of the vehicle into the travel lane. Drivers who pull out without seeing an approaching vehicle can cause a side-impact collision. A side impact can leave the people on the side that is hit with severe injuries.
Crashes are a serious problem across Philadelphia. A PennDOT report shows 8,714 crashes citywide in 2022, with 143 people killed. That was the highest number of traffic deaths of any county in Pennsylvania.
What Makes Turns at Ridge Avenue’s Intersections So Dangerous?
The angle makes one turn at each intersection much sharper than a normal corner and the other unusually gentle. Drivers making the sharp turn must slow down a great deal. Some swing wide into the next lane or the oncoming lane to get around the corner, risking a head-on or sideswipe collision.
The gentle turn creates a different danger. For drivers coming from a side street, pulling onto Ridge at a shallow angle can feel like merging into a lane. They may roll into traffic instead of stopping to yield, cutting off vehicles already on Ridge.
Why Do Drivers Misjudge Gaps in Traffic on Ridge Avenue?
Drivers accustomed to standard 90-degree intersections often misjudge gaps in traffic on Ridge Avenue. Crossing or turning onto a street at an angle takes longer, keeping a vehicle in oncoming traffic for more time. The diagonal angle also makes it trickier to accurately gauge how fast an approaching car is moving and how far away it is.
Speed differences add to the problem. Ridge Avenue carries through traffic, whereas smaller cross streets such as Jefferson Street carry slower local trips. Drivers who pull out slowly can end up in front of a much faster vehicle, leaving little time to avoid a collision. Autumn rain and wet leaves can also raise the risk, because vehicles need more distance to stop on wet pavement.
How Is a Run of Angled Intersections Different From a Single Diagonal Crossing?
A single diagonal crossing gives drivers one odd corner, but Ridge Avenue repeats the angle at one cross street after another. Where a diagonal street meets the grid only once, drivers can slow for that corner and then return to square intersections.
Ridge Avenue also crosses both numbered and named streets, so the sharp turn switches sides. A right turn that is gentle at one intersection can be tight at another. Commuters used to one corner may misread the next.
In a cluster of offset intersections, the cross streets meet the main road slightly out of line. Drivers make a short jog to continue, but the corners are usually close to square. On Ridge Avenue, the collision risk comes from the angle at each crossing rather than from a jog in the road.
What Should You Do After a Car Accident in Philadelphia’s Sharswood?
See a doctor right away, then save proof of how each vehicle approached the corner. Photograph both vehicles where they stopped, the damage to each one, and any stop signs or traffic signals. If it is safe, take photos from each approach at a driver’s eye level to show what each driver could see. Write down which direction each vehicle was traveling while the details are fresh.
Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses before they leave. Ask nearby businesses for camera video quickly, because some systems record over footage within a few days. Our Sharswood, Philadelphia car accident lawyers use important evidence to show where each driver should have looked.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ridge Avenue Car Accidents in Sharswood, Philadelphia
- How Long Does a Claim Take After a Collision on Ridge Avenue?
It largely depends on the length of your medical treatment and whether the insurance company disputes who was at fault. A claim’s full value can usually only be calculated after treatment shows the total cost of your injuries. Disputes over how the accident happened or having to file a lawsuit will also extend the timeline.
- Who Has the Right of Way When Two Streets Meet at an Angle?
The usual rules still apply, whatever the angle: a driver facing a stop sign must stop and yield to cross traffic that is close enough to be a hazard. Before turning left, a driver must also yield to oncoming vehicles close enough to be a hazard. The driver who failed to yield is usually the one at fault, even if the corner was hard to read.
- Do I Have a Case if the Other Driver Did Not Get a Ticket?
You still may. A traffic ticket is not required for a personal injury claim. What matters is whether the other driver was careless and whether that carelessness caused your injuries, which a free consultation can help you sort out.
Hit at a Ridge Avenue Intersection? Call Our Sharswood, Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers at Rand Spear – The Accident Lawyer
If a crash with another driver at one of Ridge Avenue’s angled intersections left you hurt, reach out to our Sharswood, Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Rand Spear – The Accident Lawyer. We can investigate the collision and handle the insurance company for you. Call 215-985-0138 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Located in Philadelphia, as well as Cherry Hill and Marlton, NJ, we assist clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
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