Failure to Yield Car Accidents in Avondale

In addition to following traffic signs and lights that explicitly tell you where and when to go on public roads, you are also expected to obey Arizona’s implicit “right-of-way” laws. While state law goes into specific detail about who should yield to whom under which circumstances, it is up to you and the other drivers around you to interpret those rules while driving near them. Unfortunately, not every driver can be trusted to be responsible in this regard.

If you have been hurt in a wreck caused by another driver not following the right-of-way laws properly, you very likely have grounds to file suit against them for any injuries and subsequent losses the wreck has caused you. That said, failure to yield car accidents in Avondale are often uniquely difficult to get good results from, and assistance from a knowledgeable car accident attorney can be invaluable throughout the legal process.

What Counts as “Failure to Yield” Under State Law?

Rather than having a single “right-of-way” law like some other states do, Arizona addresses which drivers should yield to others in specific scenarios over several different statutes. The main right-of-way laws that drivers should know about are as follows:

• Arizona Revised Statutes §28-771 – when two or more drivers reach an intersection at the same time, all drivers should yield to the vehicle to their right, and all drivers exiting a terminating street or entering a highway should yield to traffic on the continuing road
• R.S. §28-772 – drivers already in intersections who are trying to turn left should always yield to oncoming traffic traveling straight
• R.S. §28-773 – drivers approaching stop signs should always yield to drivers without stop signs approaching the same intersection
• R.S. §28-774 – drivers entering public roads from private driveways or alleys should always yield to approaching traffic already on the public road

Additionally, anyone approaching a posted “yield” sign must give the right-of-way to any oncoming traffic close enough to them to make merging dangerous. Anyone who violates any of these rules and causes a car crash in Avondale as a direct result is likely legally liable for that crash based on their failure to yield.

The Possible Impact of “Comparative Fault”

Even if someone else was mainly to blame for a wreck because they failed to yield properly, any degree to which someone injured in that wreck was also to blame for it happening in the first place could be held against them as “comparative fault.” As per A.R.S. §12-2505, any percentage of “comparative fault” assigned to a personal injury plaintiff would then result in their final damage award being reduced in proportion to that percentage.

Notably, Arizona is a “pure comparative fault” state, which means people who hold a majority of the total fault for a car crash can still sue someone else who was partly at fault for a proportional share of compensation. A qualified legal professional from Phillips Law Group can explain how this legal principle might impact a particular failure to yield auto accident lawsuit in Avondale during a free, no-obligation consultation.

Talk to an Avondale Attorney About a Possible Failure to Yield Car Accident Claim

Following the right-of-way laws in Arizona is not just a matter of common courtesy. It is vital when it comes to minimizing the risk of Arizona drivers getting seriously hurt in preventable traffic collisions, and anyone who nevertheless causes a crash by not yielding appropriately should be held financially accountable for the consequences of their actions.

That is where the car accident lawyers at Phillips Law Group can step in to help you enforce your rights. Call today to speak with one of our team members about your options following a failure to yield car accident in Avondale. We want to help! Please contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation today.