Car Accidents and Failure to Yield
Right of way laws help drivers know when to go and when to stop. These statutes help keep people safe on the road and allow traffic to run smoothly. When drivers fail to yield, it can lead to accidents with serious injuries. A car accident lawyer can help collision victims get the maximum settlement for their injuries and other damages.
When failure-to-yield car accidents happen in Oklahoma City, OK, you need to seek legal representation to hold the driver accountable. If you have been injured in such an accident, the attorneys at the Tawwater Law Firm are ready to help.
What Is a Failure-to-Yield Accident?
Failure-to-yield accidents occur when drivers disobey traffic laws and proceed through an intersection, stop light, or stop sign when it is not their turn.
When drivers fail to yield, they do not give other drivers' their due right of way. This can lead to serious accidents with major, or catastrophic, injuries.
Types of Failure-to-Yield Accidents
Failure-to-yield accidents can happen in many different ways. Some common types of failure-to-yield accidents include:
- Merging onto the freeway or changing lanes
- Turning right on a red light
- Turning left on a green light when oncoming traffic has the right of way
- Failure to obey traffic laws when red lights are flashing
- Not yielding the right of way at a stop sign
- Not giving emergency vehicles the right of way when their sirens and lights are on
- Exiting or entering a parking lot or driveway
- Failure to stop for a pedestrian or cyclist at a crosswalk
Causes of Failure-to-Yield Accidents
Some common reasons that failure-to-yield crashes occur include:
- Speeding: Speeding motorists drive too fast to stop in time for changing traffic lights, causing them to collide with oncoming vehicles.
- Distracted driving: Distracted driving occurs anytime someone operating a vehicle loses focus, like when changing the radio, talking to a passenger, or texting while behind the wheel. Distracted drivers may fail to notice a stop sign, stop light, or fail to look for oncoming traffic before exiting a parking lot.
- Driving under the influence: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol impairs judgment and motor skills. Those who drive under the influence may make driving errors, including a failure to yield.
- Recklessness: Some drivers purposefully choose to run red lights, stop signs, or otherwise refuse to yield the right of way. Drivers may do so because they're running late, are impatient, or for other reasons.
Legal Damages in Failure-to-Yield Accidents
Failure-to-yield accidents can result in serious injuries or even death. Victims of failure-to-yield accidents in Oklahoma City may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and other damages.
Often, insurance companies will try to place blame on all drivers involved. A car accident attorney can help gather evidence to demonstrate fault when an accident is caused by a driver's failure to yield. This allows accidents victims to recover the maximum compensation for their injuries, financial losses, and other hardships.
Contact the Attorneys of the Tawwater Law Firm
If you have been injured in a car accident, you are encouraged to call (405) 673-8021 to schedule a consultation with the Oklahoma City attorneys of the Tawwater Law Firm.