For motorcyclists, navigating busy intersections and roadways can be a life-or-death situation.
A driver turning into a motorcyclist’s path without checking their surroundings, or a vehicle drifting into a motorcycle’s lane during a merge, can have serious and potentially fatal consequences for motorcyclists and other road users alike.
Personal injury law firm Bisnar Chase surveyed 3,322 motorcyclists nationwide to identify the intersections, highway interchanges and merging areas where riders feel most vulnerable.
According to the recent study, a Phoenix-area junction ranked among the intersections motorcyclists identified as the most feared in the United States.
Ranked #95 for most feared junction in the U.S.
At the intersection of 67th Avenue and McDowell Road, motorcyclists say they feel
particularly exposed to traffic.
"Multiple lanes carry vehicles through a succession of turns and lane changes as drivers position themselves for the route ahead," said Casey Richardson, a spokesperson for Bisnar and Chase, "Riders can be difficult to distinguish among the surrounding cars and trucks, especially when traffic begins moving as a signal changes."
Three-quarters of those surveyed said they feel at least somewhat anxious when approaching a complicated or heavily congested intersection, such as 67th Avenue and McDowell Road.
With multiple gas stations and a coffee shop surrounding the intersection, the volume and movement of traffic can make the area challenging for motorcyclists to navigate.
Taking the scenic route
For many riders, avoiding a dangerous intersection is more than a preference—it has become part of planning their daily routes.
Rather than risk navigating intimidating road layouts or unpredictable traffic, some riders are choosing to take longer routes. The extra time on the road is a trade-off they’re willing to make to feel safer and reduce their exposure to potentially dangerous intersections.
"Two-thirds of riders surveyed, 67%, said they had changed their regular route specifically to avoid a junction, interchange or merging area that felt unsafe" said Richardson.
The fear surrounding these locations is often rooted in experience, according to Richardson. More than three in five motorcyclists say they had experienced a near miss while riding through a junction, interchange, or merging area.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix intersection ranked among most feared by motorcyclists
