Failure to Yield Accidents in Columbia
With the large number of drivers who have to share the road, failing to comply with the rules of the road can lead to dangerous accidents. One of the key rules drivers must understand is the right-of-way, which is the right of one driver to be in a specific lane or intersection at a given time.
Unfortunately, not everyone yields the right-of-way when it is required by law, and the result of this situation can be a devastating vehicle collision. When you are hurt in a failure to yield accident in Columbia because another driver was negligent, a skilled car accident attorney could help.
Who Has the Right-of-Way?
Many rules of the road determine who has the right-of-way in any given instance, but in general, drivers who are already established in a lane of travel are entitled to remain there.
Intersections are where these regulations are most important. For example, signage and road rules guide travelers on when it is legal to turn left across traffic while also determining which driver is allowed to proceed first when two or more arrive at a four-way stop simultaneously.
Special situations can drastically alter these rules, such as the requirement for everyone to pull over to allow emergency vehicles with flashing lights to pass. The same rules apply to funeral processions or certain pedestrian crossings.
Understanding how these rules apply is important, but careless motorists ignore these rules every day, and many of them cause Columbia failure to yield accidents.
Who Is at Fault?
Most of the time, the driver that fails to comply with the right-of-way is responsible for a failure to yield accident. Some of the most common examples of this occur when a motorist merges onto a highway in the path of an oncoming vehicle or when they turn left at an intersection when other cars are present. Any circumstance like these could be evidence of negligence needed to win a personal injury lawsuit.
The state has adopted comparative negligence laws because the cause of a crash might not always be clear. These laws say an individual partially at fault for a crash might be limited in the damages they can recover. When a driver was speeding or changing lanes erratically, for example, they could contribute to the fault of an accident even when they have the right-of-way.
Common Injuries
The injuries associated with Columbia failure to yield accidents are often catastrophic. When drivers believe they have the right to proceed through an intersection or on a highway, they may not have time to take the evasive action necessary to prevent a crash. This can lead to an impact that causes life-altering harm for those involved. Some of these crashes could cause broken bones, internal bleeding, lacerations, and traumatic brain injuries.
Talk to an Attorney in Columbia About Failure to Yield Accidents
When you are injured in a crash where you had the right-of-way, you might be entitled to monetary compensation. Proving negligence in these cases can still be challenging even when the other driver failed to yield. You could benefit from letting experienced legal counsel advise you following failure to yield accidents in Columbia, so contact the Law Office of Chris Miller today to schedule your consultation.