Failure to yield accident cases are common. Over my 20 years of courtroom experience, I’ve represented clients seriously injured in a variety of car accident cases, including those caused by a driver’s failure to yield. I hope my general insight into this type of personal injury case will provide some assistance in navigating these difficult situations.
If you need specific insight into your yield accident case, you can request a free consultation through our contact form or call the Thomas Creech Law Offices by tapping the button below.
Failure to Yield Law
All drivers in South Carolina have a statutory duty to yield to the driver that has the right of way on a road, street or highway. In fact, this duty is codified at South Carolina Code 56-5-2350, that a vehicle entering a roadway must yield. The duty to yield is a relatively easy mandate to understand. Unfortunately, many motorists violate the rule and as a result, cause serious accidents.
Examples of Yield Accident Cases
Misjudging distance between cars, navigating across multiple lanes of traffic and “gunning” it through an intersection are common causes of failing to yield accidents. Here are a few additional right-of-way scenarios that can help place the statutory duty to yield into proper context.
Parking Lot
Whenever a vehicle tries to pull out from a parking lot onto a roadway, the car must yield to oncoming traffic. When leaving a parking lot, accidents can occur when vehicles miscalculate the distance between cars.
Turning right on red
Another scenario involves trying to turn right on a red light and failing to yield to oncoming traffic that has the green light. The right of way always belongs to green-light traffic.
Turning left on green
Another scenario is when one vehicle tries to turn left in front of oncoming traffic. The vehicle turning left must wait until it’s clear and must yield to oncoming traffic. Suddenly turning left into an intersection, without proper clearance, violates the traffic rule of failing to yield.
Failing to yield accident cases can lead to serious injuries and fatalities.
Serious accidents can occur due to a driver’s failure to yield. Common injuries include broken ribs, brain injury, spine and neck injury, concussion, and wrongful death.
A common element of failure to yield car accidents is speed. For example, a driver with the right-of-way is traveling at the speed limit when suddenly another car, failing to yield, crashes into the car. A collision occurring at the speed limit whether at 35, 45 or 55 mph, increases the chance of serious, permanent or even fatal injuries.
Importance of Legal Representation
A personal injury attorney with experience handling failure to yield accident cases will understand the traffic laws as well as the common scenarios that cause these types of accidents. Furthermore, your attorney will conduct an investigation to determine the circumstances of the wreck.
Once the investigation is complete, your attorney will draw on their experience and the results of the investigation to advocate for your best interests.
Wrap Up
The results of a serious car accident can be devastating to your physical, financial and emotional health. With over 20 years of courtroom experience, I’m ready to help guide you through the complex maze of issues that arise in failing to yield accident cases. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at 864-235-4999 or through the contact form below to request a free consultation.