If there was any adjective that best described accidents, it would be “troubling.”
Whether you’re at fault or not, the entire process of reporting the accident, filing a claim, and getting your vehicle back in working condition can take up a lot of time in your everyday life.
Yet that’s not the worst outcome. Unfortunately, tragic injuries and fatalities can occur.
Therefore, we can all agree to rally behind this one cause – Let’s make our roads safer, Las Vegas!
Statistics Show Failure to Yield Accidents Are Common in Las Vegas
According to the most recent report by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, failure to yield the right of way is a leading cause of accidents for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycle riders, and other drivers.
As of June 2021, this is approximately a 77% increase from 2020, and is tied with a driver failing to maintain their lane. However, the latter has only increased by 23%, and on the other hand, failure to yield the right of way has increased by about 78%.
These statistics indicate that one out of every four traffic accidents in Las Vegas are caused by a motorist who either doesn’t understand this traffic rule or ignores it. Either way, car crashes caused by a failure to yield are preventable if we all exercised more care and caution.
Keep reading to learn more about how to avoid them.
What Is a Failure to Yield Accident?
Mom was right: everyone needs to wait their turn.
And “right of way” is exactly that – understanding when it’s your turn to proceed, whether it is at a stop sign, a highway entrance ramp, or yielding to emergency vehicles. Please note, that this is not just for motorists, it’s an important practice for everyone who shares the road, including a pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcycle rider.
When this rule is broken by Las Vegas drivers, a failure to yield accident occurs, particularly at:
- Pedestrian crosswalks
- Intersections
- Four-way stops
- Left-hand turns
- Roundabouts (traffic circles)
- Stop signs
- Right on red stoplights
What Types of Crashes Are Caused by Failure to Yield?
Some of our most severely injured clients were in accidents caused by failure to yield, that included:
- Broadside accidents (“T-bone” accidents)
- Sideswipe accidents
- Head-on collisions
When a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcycle rider is involved, they typically suffer greater, more extensive injuries or loss of life.
So Who Has the Right of Way?
If you’re asking this question, now is the best time to brush up on your driving basics.
Nevada has clear rules of the road, and here are a few basics under state law:
- At a four-way stop, the vehicle that arrives first has the right of way. If all vehicles arrive at the same time or if there are no traffic signs, the vehicle to your right goes first.
- Always yield to bicycles in the bike lane.
- Always yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.
- Vehicles going straight through an intersection have the right of way over a vehicle turning left.
- Vehicles merging from a minor road or private drive must yield to those on the public or busier road.
- It’s not a law, but it is etiquette to yield to a funeral procession so that the parties may travel and arrive together.
Remember, it is your duty to know and follow these rules to prevent right of way accidents.
Moreover, if you’re interested in taking more proactive steps, here are five strategies to avoid getting hurt (or hurting someone else) in a failure to yield accident:
Five Tips to Avoid a Failure to Yield Accident
- Avoid distractions: A driver who is not paying attention to his or her surroundings is more likely to glide through a stop sign or fail to yield on a turn.
- Slow down: Give yourself enough time to act if another driver fails to yield.
- Drive defensively: Don’t assume that the other driver knows right of way rules.
- Be cautious: Look around when entering an intersection, even when you have the right of way.
- Stop on red: Running a red light (or a long amber) puts you at a higher risk for an accident.
What if You (or a Loved One) Is Injured in a Failure to Yield Accident?
First and foremost, a driver who refuses to understand right of way rules, fails to yield, and causes a wreck should be held accountable for injuries or loss of life.
In addition to holding them accountable, you or your loved one should be compensated for the negative effect of the crash. That basically means you may be able to collect money damages.
However, you don’t have to handle the details on your own. An attorney can help, especially one who specializes in cases pertaining to failure to yield accidents.
Here’s why:
- A personal injury attorney will collect evidence. This includes photos, witness statements, and collecting medical records to showcase how severe your injuries were because of the crash.
- They will help determine the compensation you deserve. An experienced lawyer will be able to pinpoint the value of your case before negotiations start. This is something that will give you a bit more peace of mind throughout the claims process.
- An attorney will submit all paperwork on your behalf. Completing paperwork probably won’t be your top priority after an accident so delegating that will be a huge burden lifted off of your shoulder. As you attempt to piece your life back together, an attorney will make sure all the necessary documents are filed in a timely manner.
Of course, a lawyer will also represent you in any negotiations, and a trial, if it comes to that.
Overall, it’s important to note that legal representation in a personal injury case, allows you to focus on your recovery while a seasoned professional handles the majority of the work.
Talk to Us Before You Speak with the Insurance Company
As failure to yield accident lawyers, we know that some insurance companies make it difficult for an injured person to recover compensation. It is a challenging process to navigate insurance companies and state law on your own. It’s even more difficult when you are recovering from injuries or taking care of an injured loved one.
Some insurance companies try to:
- Pressure you into accepting a lowball settlement.
- Insinuate that you are primarily responsible for the accident.
- Obtain a copy of your medical or injury records.
- Schedule an exam with their physician or healthcare provider.
It is your right to ask a lawyer to represent you. We’re here for you as soon as you feel well enough to reach out.
Call for a Free Consultation
Hurt in a car crash because someone failed to yield the right of way? You could recover compensation from the at-fault party, and we can help. Call Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC for a free consultation.
When it matters, we’re the difference.
Free consultation. Call 702-878-2889