Among the numerous rules and regulations that all licensed drivers are expected to follow on public Arizona roads, some of the most important have to do with who has the “right-of-way” at places where two or more roads intersect. If someone does not yield properly to the driver who legally has the right to proceed ahead of them, they are very likely to end up causing a traffic accident, which in turn could lead to serious injuries for everybody involved. Because of this, failure to yield car accidents in Glendale represent a substantial portion of the traffic collisions that happen in this area every year.
However, just because this kind of wreck is common does not mean filing a civil suit over is easy. You will absolutely want help from a skilled car accident attorney to effectively demand compensation for the harm another driver caused you by failing to yield correctly. Our firm may be able to help.
Understanding “Right-of-Way” Laws in Glendale
Someone who approaches a posted “Yield” sign at an intersection is always expected to yield to oncoming traffic unless it is safe for them to proceed forward. However, right-of-way laws in Arizona also govern various situations where there are no posted yield signs, and it is those situations that most often lead to failure to yield car crashes in Glendale.
Broadly speaking, drivers are expected to obey all the following rules in order to stay in line with Arizona’s right-of-way laws:
- When approaching a four-way intersection with four stop signs, right-of-way goes to whichever driver arrives there first
- If multiple drivers arrive at an intersection at the same time, the right-of-way goes to the driver on the right
- Drivers traveling straight within a roadway always have right-of-way over drivers entering the roadway from a side street, unpaved road, driveway, or alley
- Pedestrians in crosswalks always have right-of-way over approaching drivers, whether they are at an intersection or not
- Drivers turning left across a road going straight must yield to oncoming traffic unless they have a green left-arrow signal from a traffic light
Anyone with questions about whether their car accident likely resulted from someone else’s failure to yield can get the answers they need by speaking with a seasoned auto accident attorney from Phillips Law Group.
How “Comparative Fault” Can Impact Civil Recovery
Even if someone else failed to yield properly prior to a car crash, that does not necessarily mean they are 100 percent at fault for that wreck. If an injured person filing suit over a failure to yield car accident in Glendale also acted negligently in some way prior to the accident occurring, they may be found partially at fault for their own ensuing damages.
Any percentage of “comparative fault” assigned to an injured person along these lines will result in their final damage award being reduced in proportion to their share of total fault for their accident. Fortunately, since Arizona is a “pure comparative fault” state, there is no amount of fault an injured person can hold — other than 100 percent, of course — which would bar them from recovery altogether.
Take Action After a Failure to Yield Car Accident With a Glendale Attorney’s Help
Obeying right-of-way laws is crucial to preventing traffic accidents. Even if they mean well and just want to let someone else go ahead of them, people who violate these laws put themselves and many other people around them at risk of serious harm. If you are dealing with injuries caused by a failure to yield car accident in Glendale, you know all too well how dangerous wrecks like this can be and how difficult it is to move past one.
You should also know, though, that you deserve fair financial recovery for any harm someone else causes you through their own negligence. Do not hesitate to reach out to Phillips Law Group to discuss your legal options with someone from our team during a free consultation!
Available 24/7