Why this driver should’ve proceeded with caution instead of sending it.
Utah resident and Redditor /u/Stock_Star4500 shared shocking dashcam footage from Lehi, UT showing a driver who presumably mistook two green right turns arrows as their green and went through an intersection with active cross traffic.
For their mistake, they got T-boned violently, causing one major accident.
Check out the dashcam footage for yourself below.
[OC] I’m just passing through
byu/Stock_Star4500 inIdiotsInCars
The accident happened at the intersection of Utah State Route 92 and Triumph Blvd (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As OP’s dashcam video shows, he’s stopped on Triumph Blvd waiting to turn left as a light drizzle hits his windshield.
Drivers waiting to turn right in the first two lanes get a green right arrow.
A driver in a silver Kia crossover waiting to go straight mistakes those two green right arrows as their green and starts to enter the intersection.
Here’s what those lights look like up close.
They quickly realize something’s wrong as they nearly collide with left turners with the right of way.
Then, instead of proceeding with caution or, at the very least, reversing safely, they just send it across.
Unfortunately, they don’t make it, and they get sideswiped rather hard by a driver in a red GMC crossover who had the right of way.
It’s a yard sale, with bits and piece of their crossovers flying all over the intersection.
OP didn’t leave an update as to how the drivers involved in the accident fared, so your guess is as good as mine.
“The ONLY justification I can see why they went was they mistook the green light for right turn to be a green light to go straight. Still stupid AF they went when they saw traffic flowing against the,” /u/BetelGuese90 commented.
“Utah county is home to the absolute worst drivers in the state!,” /u/ZR_Blu added.
“It would have been better to just sit there than going forward into oncoming traffic,” /u/BernieTheDachshund replied.
What should they have done in this situation?
Reading through the comments, most Redditors replied that they should’ve reversed.
As that’s obviously a better decision than what they ended up doing, this advice goes against what I’ve been taught, which is to continue going straight while proceeding with caution.
Although there isn’t much online that specifically backs up what I learned, I did come across this Reddit thread linked here.
The best comments corroborate what I think is the best reaction for this situation, which is to 100 percent make sure cross traffic is clear before going forward.
As/u/BernieTheDachshund replied, just stopping and waiting is totally acceptable.
And, as /u/amazinghl commented, “Wait until the intersection is clear, then proceed to move FORWARD.”
So, they should’ve stopped and looked, like really craned their neck and looked, and waited for a large enough gap in traffic, and then crossed safely.
Mistakes are bound to happen behind the wheel, but it’s our duty to react in the safest way possible, and that means actively looking, making sure it’s 100 percent safe before proceeding.
