CAR ACCIDENTS
Traffic Light Intersection Accident
Car accidents, motorcycle collisions, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents occur at various locations. One of the most common locations is a traffic light intersection. In fact, running a red light or disobeying other traffic light signals results in over 150,000 accidents each year. Tragically, approximately seven (7) fatal accidents occur at signalized intersections each day. These accidents clearly result in devastating injuries and substantial medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The experienced attorneys at Slatter Law Firm will aggressively fight to recover the maximum compensation for your injuries.
There are many different types of accidents that occur at signalized intersections. Below is a description of the most common accidents.
Many drivers interpret a yellow slight as a need to speed up to get through the intersection. However, the law states that a yellow light serves as a warning that the green light has ended and a red light will be shown very soon. Typically, there is a short time between a red light in one direction and a green light in the other direction. As such, speeding up or failing to slow when a yellow light is shown often results in high impact collisions, such as “t-bones.” These accidents can cause devastating injuries and fatalities.
Generally, California allows drivers to turn on red unless there is a sign indicating otherwise. However, many drivers make this right turn without stopping and looking both ways. This failure results in collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists in or near crosswalks.
Rear end collisions commonly occur at signalized intersections. These accidents often occur because a driver expects the vehicle in front him or her to proceed through the intersection when a yellow slight is shown. This expectation along with tailgating causes a rear end accident.
If an intersection does not have a left turn traffic light, the driver must yield to oncoming traffic before turning. However, accidents occur when the vehicle in the opposite direction runs a red light and the other driver makes a left turn, causing side impact to the turning vehicle. The high speed and high impact with this accident results in significant physical injuries.
These accidents are governed by the laws of negligence. There are many statutes in California Vehicle Code that address traffic light intersections. As stated above, traffic light intersection accidents are generally caused by violations of these statutes. If your accident was caused by a violation (e.g. failing to slow at a yellow light), then you may bring a claim for negligence per se.
There are many different types of injured parties for these accidents. Potential injured parties include pedestrians in crosswalks; drivers and passengers proceeding into an intersection with a green light; drivers and passengers appropriately stopped at a red light; passengers of a vehicle that fails to stop at a red light; and bicyclists riding through an intersection that are struck by a vehicle in the opposite direction. Regardless of which type of party you are, there are crucial steps that you should take following your accident. Specifically, you should move yourself or your vehicle to a safe location; determine whether you are injured and need medical attention; contact the police; exchange information with the other driver; take multiple photographs of the scene of the accident; and inform your insurance company. Additionally, you should hire an experienced accident attorney, who will conduct a thorough investigation, including but not limited to obtaining traffic signal data, witness statements and expert accident reconstruction.
Contact Us Today
Contact a Los Angeles personal injury attorney today if you or a loved one was involved in an accident involving a dangerous road condition. Slatter Law Firm has been helping individuals injured due to car accidents and slip and falls throughout Los Angeles and Southern California for over four decades. To schedule a free consultation, call our office at (310) 405-0964 or contact us online.
