Drivers guilty of failing to yield the right of way on roads and highways receive fines and traffic demerit points. However, failure to yield the right of way is not only a traffic infraction. It is also a common cause of car crashes.
For several reasons, such as distraction, impatience or ignorance of traffic laws, many drivers unexpectedly invade another vehicle’s rightful path, often leaving the other driver with little to no time to react to avoid a collision.
Some of the common accidents resulting from a driver’s failure to yield right of way include the following:
Collisions at intersections
One of the most common places where failure to yield the right of way causes accidents is at intersections. If a driver disobeys stop signs, traffic lights or yield signs, they may enter an intersection when it is unsafe to do so, potentially colliding with vehicles that have the right of way.
Roundabout incidents
In roundabouts, drivers entering the circle must yield to traffic already circulating within the roundabout. Failure to yield can cause accidents within the area as the entering vehicle disrupts the flow of traffic that has the right of way, potentially causing side-impact or rear-end accidents.
Accidents by carelessly turning left
Accidents can happen when a driver carelessly turns left at an intersection without regard to oncoming traffic with the right of way. This can result in a side-impact or head-on motor vehicle collision.
Crashes from riskily merging onto highways
When entering a highway from a ramp, drivers are supposed to merge into traffic by yielding to vehicles already on the highway. Failure to yield can lead to sideswipe accidents or force other drivers to brake suddenly, which can cause chain-reaction collisions.
Pedestrian crosswalk accidents
Drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks. Otherwise, it can lead to serious accidents involving pedestrians. This usually happens when drivers overlook or ignore crosswalk signals and markings or when they fail to notice pedestrians entering or already within a crosswalk.
If you are suffering injuries from a car accident because of another driver’s failure to yield, it is advisable for you to explore your remedies with a knowledgeable and aggressive car accident attorney to help you recover the compensation you deserve.