Charlotte-Mecklenburg ambulance drivers and police officers know their way well around the city. They probably know their way to the intersection of Johnston Road and Providence Road West a little bit better than most spots around town.

The south Charlotte intersection has been the scene of a number of car accidents over recent years, including a fatal collision there this past Friday morning, WCNC reports.

The accident was around 6:30 in the morning, when a car driven by a 68-year-old man was hammered from the side by a vehicle driven by a man, 20.

Area residents say they've been dreading the moment a deadly accident would occur. One man told the TV station that he's lived nearby for seven years.

"I would say the traffic has at least doubled in those years," he said.

As we all know, when traffic increases, so do driver frustrations. Those frustrations lead to drivers taking more chances by running red lights, speeding, tailgating and so on.

Neighbors say they've been asking Charlotte Department of Transportation authorities for years to put a left-turn arrow at the intersection, on Providence Road West.

The problem is that traffic jams up in rush hours on weekday mornings and it becomes nearly impossible to make a left-hand turn safely from Providence onto Johnston.

"What people do is wait until the light turns red, then three or four will scoot out," one man said.

Of course, that kind of risky driving leads to close calls as drivers with the green light enter the intersection as others are making illegal left turns.

The close calls ended Friday morning, as did a man's life.

The driver of the car that t-boned the other vehicle has been charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.

In similar situations, families of accident victims will often need and demand that reckless drivers receive punishment above and beyond a mere traffic ticket. Families pursue that justice with a civil wrongful death lawsuit that can force the party responsible to pay compensation for medical bills, loss of income and much more.

Source: WCNC: "Man charged in deadly south Charlotte wreck," Glenn Counts, Feb. 10, 2012