2023-12-20 15:10:00
For the year 2022
According to figures from Vias Institute, for 2022, one in four accidents in an intersection takes place in an intersection with right-hand priority. “We note that in 2022, 2,893 accidents took place in a right-hand priority intersection. But these are the accidents with bodily damage, so people have been injured or killed, it is not just the crumpled metal sheets. This represents almost one accident in four compared to accidents at intersections,” explains Benoit Godart, spokesperson for the Vias institute.
”We have the figures that come from the RDR (Direct Settlement, No Contest Collision Forms). These are the rapid processing of claims following a traffic accident where there is no discussion of liability. The file is processed directly because there is no discussion regarding who is responsible or not. Out of 230,000 files through the RDR regulation, the accident following non-compliance with the right priority was in sixth place with 5.7% in 2022. This is a little less than in 2017, where the figure was at 6.5% which put it in the top 5 of collisions,” explains Barbara Van Speybroeck, communications director for Assuralia.
Figures over 10 years
The Walloon Road Safety Agency has agreed to analyze the figures over the last 10 years, for accidents occurring only in urban areas. “Over the last 10 years, there have been 22,631 bodily injury accidents (with deaths and/or injuries) in Belgium occurring at right-hand priority intersections (i.e. nearly 2,300/year) and 28,592 at intersections with stop or yield signs. the passage (i.e. almost 2,900/year)”, explains Belinda Demattia, spokesperson for the Walloon Road Safety Agency.
And sometimes, a refusal, or failure to respect priority is the cause of the accident. “Over the last 10 years in Belgium, 6,741 injury accidents (674/year) occurring at a right-hand priority intersection are linked to a refusal of priority, or nearly 1 accident of this type in 3 (30%).”
”On average in Belgium, 29% of people who died in an accident occurring at a right-hand priority intersection were killed in an accident linked to a refusal of priority and 17% for accidents occurring at an intersection with a stop or yield sign. passage. We see that the proportion is higher in Flanders, respectively 37% of deaths at right-hand priority intersections and 21% for intersections with stop or give way signs.”
The right priority rule has its advantages and disadvantages. In some places, removing this rule at some or all intersections might disrupt traffic. “Right-priority intersections sometimes also serve as speed breakers. You still have to analyze this on a case-by-case basis and from the moment you remove the priority on the right you will necessarily put a “give way” to one of the two directions and you have to see what consequence this has. For example, during rush hour, if we side with those who have priority today and who will have to give way tomorrow, traffic will suffer. The flow of traffic will be less obvious for these people. We must not remove all right-wing priorities overnight, this must be done on a case-by-case basis. We have to see the advantages and disadvantages,” explains Benoit Godart, spokesperson for the Vias institute.
However, the right priority rule makes it possible in certain cases to limit the speed. “The right-wing priority has disadvantages, but also advantages. It allows you to play the role of speed breaker on roads generally in a straight line, where if you did not have these priorities, the speed may increase. It’s not because one municipality does it that everyone can do it.”
For Belinda Demattia, spokesperson for the Walloon Road Safety Agency, the answer is also complex and is similar to that of the Vias institute. “It is not possible to answer this question simply. This may be appropriate in some places and not others for a variety of reasons. It is not possible to compare the roads with each other. Some roads, due to their configuration, give the impression of being priority routes when this is not the case. This can encourage users to drive faster. The presence of intersections with right priority allows users to slow down at intersections. The removal of right-hand priorities might have, on certain roads, an effect on the speed used. When you arrive at a right-hand priority intersection, you must slow down and, if necessary, stop. On a priority lane, drivers will not slow down.”
When approaching an intersection, if there is no qualified officer or lights to regulate traffic, and no stop or yield signs, a driver must yield the right of way to the driver who has just the right.
- This rule also applies in a public parking lot or between two vehicles arriving at a narrowing at the same time (as long as you are not in the conditions of the zipper).
- Right priority does not apply when exiting a trail or dirt road. It also does not apply to a vehicle on rails.
- For several years, the driver who benefits from right priority has retained it even if he stops and then restarts. Before this was not the case.
- Priority does not mean security. Sometimes, it is better not to want to “take priority” at all costs to avoid an accident.
There is a general duty of caution incumbent on each road user and which goes “above” the priority rules. Thus, a driver can in certain cases be held responsible for an accident even though he had priority, because for example, he approached the intersection at too high a speed.
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