The moment you get behind the wheel in California, you accept all the duties that come with being a driver. You automatically take on a responsibility to all other roadway users, to prevent car accidents and injuries. Many duties come with this responsibility, but in general you must obey traffic laws, road rules, and driving best practices.
Accelerating when you see a yellow light to “beat the red” goes against your duties as a driver. It could endanger others’ lives. Entering intersections on a yellow light contributes to the number of intersection accidents each year – an accident type that caused more than two people to die per day on US roads, according to AAA. If you were recently in an accident involving a yellow light, here’s what you need to know.
Intersection Traffic Laws in California
Slowing down when you see a yellow light isn’t just good sense – it’s the law. California Vehicle Code Section 21453 outlines a driver’s duties when approaching a traffic signal. The law states that all drivers must stop at the marked line when “facing a steady circular red signal,” unless already in the intersection. The previous code, Section 21452, states that a steady circular yellow light warns drivers that a red light will come immediately after. Thus, it is a driver’s responsibility to slow down upon a yellow light, to come to a stop at the line in time for the red.
The most common yellow light issue arises when a driver can’t decide if he or she has enough time to go through the intersection before the light turns red. Many drivers will misjudge the time, speed, or distance, and fail to stop in time before the red light indicator. If a driver crosses the marked line and enters the intersection when the light has turned red, that driver has violated the vehicle code and may face related penalties.
Who Is Liable for an Accident Involving a Yellow Light?
Liability (legal and financial responsibility) for a car accident that occurs when one vehicle entered an intersection on a yellow light depends on the specific circumstances. An investigation and analysis will need to be completed to determine which driver had the right-of-way at the time of the crash according to the situation and the traffic laws of the jurisdiction.
Since a yellow light serves as a warning to drivers that the traffic signal is about to change from green to red, drivers approaching the intersection should yield to other vehicles that are already in the intersection or approaching from other directions when shown a steady yellow signal. If a driver enters an intersection on a yellow light, he or she should be able to clear the intersection before the light turns red.
If the light turns red before the driver enters the intersection, he or she has violated California’s traffic laws by running a red light. In this scenario, the driver would be held liable for a subsequent collision that takes place in the intersection, since he or she was required to come to a complete stop at the red light.
However, if the light was still yellow when the driver entered the intersection, he or she had the right-of-way as long as no other vehicles or parties had already entered the intersection. If the driver was not required to yield to oncoming traffic or pedestrians, he or she had the right-of-way and may not be held liable for a subsequent collision that occurs after entering the intersection on a yellow light.
Moving Violations That Could Point to Liability
Most red and yellow light accidents are not black and white issues. They are complex and may require crash re-creation, video surveillance footage, and eyewitness testimony to determine liability. Certain actions taken by the drivers in the seconds leading up to the collision may increase the odds of liability. A police investigation will aim to identify whether either driver committed the following mistakes:
- Not slowing down for a yellow light
- Speeding up at a yellow light
- Failing to come to a complete stop at a red light
- Causing a rear-end collision by failing to stop
- Misjudging the distance of oncoming traffic when turning left
These are common intersection mistakes drivers make that cause serious car accidents. The most severe wrecks often stem from drivers speeding up to try to beat the red light. This can lead to high-speed collisions and fatal T-bone accidents. It is every driver’s duty to obey traffic signals, to drive at a safe speed, and to stop for red lights. Failure to do so, resulting in a collision, could place liability on you as a driver.
How to Prove Your Case
It can be difficult to prove a car accident case involving a yellow light, as liability is subject to who had the right-of-way at the time. A thorough investigation is needed to determine if the driver was in violation of a traffic law at the time, such as running a red light or failing to yield to other road users.
Running a red light could qualify as negligence per se in the California courts. Negligence per se means a driver could be at-fault for causing the accident by violating a traffic law, without any other proof of negligence.
Proving a car accident case requires evidence that shows that the accused party is more likely to be at fault for the crash than not. This is known as a preponderance of the evidence. Evidence commonly used in a car accident case includes a traffic collision report, witness testimony, photographs and video footage, and crash reconstruction based on the damage to both vehicles.
What Is the Rule of Comparative Negligence?
A car accident case involving a yellow light may not involve the liability of just one of the parties. Both drivers could be allocated a percentage of shared fault for the crash. If, for example, one driver entered an intersection on a yellow light at the same time that another driver lawfully turned right on red, both parties may face accountability for a collision rather than 100 percent of the fault only going to one of the drivers.
In California, the comparative negligence rule states that an injured party can still recover financial compensation for his or her losses after being assigned partial fault for the accident or injury. However, the victim’s monetary recovery will be reduced by an amount equivalent to his or her percentage of fault. For instance, a $100,000 award would be reduced by $20,000 if the victim was assigned 20 percent of fault for the crash.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney in Los Angeles
If you’ve been the victim of an intersection crash, you may be able to prove your case with help from investigators. Consult with an accident attorney for advice on filing an intersection accident claim. Contact the team of Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP today! (310) 477-1700