Accidents involving one driver failing to appropriately yield to another driver can result in serious injuries or fatalities. Failure to yield can occur at intersections or roadways. Any time a vehicle fails to yield to oncoming traffic, the result can be a head-on collision, a sideswiping accident, a T-bone collision, or even a rollover accident. These types of accidents often cause serious harm and even life-long injuries. If you suffered any losses or injuries as a result of another driver’s negligence and failure to yield, learn more about how a Columbus failure to yield accident lawyer can help you with your next legal steps. Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233 for a free case evaluation.
Ohio Failure to Yield Laws
Ohio Revised Code (ORC) §4511.43 governs the right-of-way rules regarding highways, stop signs, and yield signs. Drivers must stop at clearly marked stop signs at both red traffic lights and stop signs and yield appropriately to oncoming traffic. Ohio law indicates that if a driver drives past a yield sign without stopping, or fails to yield appropriately, any car accident that results will be evidence of the driver’s failure to yield. This means that any driver that fails to appropriately yield will remain liable for the injuries and losses experienced by a victim of an accident that results from that failure to yield.
Consequences of Failure to Yield in Ohio
Any driver that violates Ohio law by failing to yield appropriately is legally guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If that same driver previously pled guilty or received a conviction of another traffic offense in the previous year, the charge will be a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If the driver previously pled guilty or received a conviction of two or more traffic offenses, the driver charge will be a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Additional Consequences
If an investigation into the failure to yield accident determines that the negligent driver committed the failure to yield as a result of distracted driving, the driver will receive an additional fine, as indicated under ORC §4511.991.
For a free legal consultation with a failure to yield accidents lawyer serving Columbus, call (844) 730-0233
Examples of Failure to Yield Accidents
While every accident will have its own set of facts and circumstances, some of the following are examples of areas in which a failure to yield accident can cause serious injuries and losses.
Intersections
Intersections are the main area in which failure to yield accidents occur. If a driver fails to come to a full and complete stop at an intersection with a red light or stop sign, they may T-bone or sideswipe another car traveling through the intersection at the same time. If the intersection has a yield sign, and a driver fails to yield and monitor their surroundings, a serious accident could also occur. Some of the types of failure to yield accidents that occur at intersections include the following:
- Left Turns. If a driver fails to monitor their surroundings and simply attempts to make a left turn at an intersection, their failure to ensure that the traffic has cleared the intersection can result in a T-bone collision or a sideswiping collision.
- Right Turn on Red. While most vehicles have the legal right to make a right turn at a red light or at a stop sign at an intersection, they may only do so after making sure that the lane of traffic is completely clear in order to ensure a safe turn. Failure to do so and yield properly to oncoming traffic can result in a sideswiping accident.
If you suffered any kind of injury as the result of a driver failing to yield at an intersection, consider consulting with our legal team today to learn how a Columbus failure to yield accident lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and answer your questions.
Lanes Merging on the Roadways
In many cases, a failure to yield accident may occur when a driver fails to yield on an on-ramp, off-ramp or to other motorists traveling in parallel lanes on the roadways. When a driver fails to yield appropriately to other vehicles on the roadway while driving, it can easily lead to sideswiping accidents that can result in multiple-car pile-ups as other drivers attempt to avoid the accident that occurred in front of them.
Privately Owned Areas and Roads
Many privately owned areas, such as parking lots or driveways, do not have clearly defined or understood rules regarding yielding to other vehicles. It is always best to err on the side of caution and drive slowly and carefully in these places. If a motorist does not have a solid understanding of which driver has the legal right of way, it can cause a serious accident resulting in injuries or even death.
Emergency Vehicles
In every state, including Ohio, motorists have a legal responsibility to ensure that they yield to any emergency vehicle on the roadway with their sirens and/or lights on. Emergency vehicles can include ambulances, fire trucks, or police vehicles. In all cases, if an emergency vehicle has its lights and/or sirens on, the motorists should slow down and pull over the best that they can in order to yield as much as possible to these vehicles. Failure to do so could cause an additional accident either with another motorist or with the emergency vehicle itself.
Columbus Failure to Yield Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Call a Columbus Failure to Yield Accident Lawyer
If you suffered any injuries or losses as a result of another driver failing to appropriately yield at an intersection or on the roadway, you may face astronomical medical bills, lost wages due to your inability to return to work, loss of future wages, future medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering. Consult with our legal team to learn how a lawyer can answer all of your questions and ensure your legal rights remain protected through the entire process. Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233 for a free case review today.
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