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Everyone with a driver’s license knows that they are expected to obey traffic signs, signals, and road patterns at all times, and that failing to obey them could lead to them getting ticketed or—even worse—getting involved in a traffic accident. Drivers are also expected to know the rules for who has the right of way in various scenarios without any signage directing them. Unfortunately, not every driver can be trusted to follow those rules.
If you have been injured in a failure to yield car accident in Philadelphia caused by someone else’s misconduct, you likely have grounds to file suit against that person and demand compensation your damages. If you want to get the best possible outcome from this type of claim, you should enlist the help of an experienced auto collision lawyer at Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys who knows how to handle situations like yours.
What Are the Right of Way Rules in Pennsylvania?
Drivers in Philadelphia who are entering an active roadway—for example, from a side street, alleyway, or driveway—are always expected to yield to traffic already in that roadway and only proceed once there is space to do so safely. Likewise, drivers making left turns across intersections are expected to yield to oncoming traffic in the lanes they will cross over during their turn. Drivers approaching four-way stop intersections must yield to the driver(s) who reached the intersection before them or, if everyone reached the intersection simultaneously, to the driver on their right.
Drivers are always supposed to yield to pedestrians inside crosswalks, regardless of whether that crosswalk is marked or unmarked. Anyone who violates any of these rules has committed a failure to yield offense and breached their duty to act lawfully behind the wheel. As a result, they can be held civilly liable for any ensuing car crash they cause on a Philadelphia street.
Proving Someone Else Failed to Yield Properly
Since violating the right of way laws mentioned above is a traffic offense that police officers can pull people over and ticket them for, establishing that someone else caused a Philadelphia car accident by failing to yield can sometimes be as simple as referencing a police accident report. However, if a police officer does not witness the illegal act leading to a crash, it may fall to the victim to prove that someone else is responsible.
This can entail collecting and making effective use of things like:
- Witness testimony
- Crash scene photos
- Surveillance/dashboard footage
- Input from accident reconstruction experts
Support from skilled legal counsel can be essential to finding the information necessary to build a strong civil claim and then effectively presenting that claim during settlement negotiations or a civil trial.
Get Help from a Philadelphia Attorney With a Failure to Yield Car Accident Claim
Not yielding properly is one of the quickest ways to cause an entirely preventable car wreck, as far too many Pennsylvanians learn every day. Proving that another driver did not give the right of way to you when they should have can serve as strong grounds for civil litigation.
A well-practiced lawyer can provide invaluable guidance and support after a failure to yield car accident in Philadelphia. Call today to schedule an initial consultation.
