One of the most common ways reckless and careless drivers cause traffic collisions is by violating right of way laws. These are the safety rules governing when and where drivers should stop and yield to other vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians around them.

Finding the evidence necessary to hold those responsible for failure to yield car accidents in Pinellas Park accountable can be trickier than you might expect, especially if a police officer did not see them do it and write them a ticket at the scene. Therefore, if you were injured in such a wreck, you should seek help from the experienced auto accident attorneys at Herman & Wells.

What Are the Right of Way Laws?

The statutes that address right of way at intersections on public roads include Florida Statutes § 316.121, section 316.123 addresses right of way at yield signs, 316.130 for pedestrian right of way at crosswalks, 316.081 for right of way when overtaking or passing another vehicle, and terms are defined in 316.003.

316.121 on intersections is the section of state law that primarily addresses right of way at intersections on public roads. Under this statute, even if a driver’s actions do not result in a Pinellas County traffic accident, they can be ticketed for a failure to yield offense when they fail to:

  • Come to a complete stop at stop signs and proceed only once all oncoming traffic and pedestrians in crosswalks have advanced out of their path
  • Yield at a four-way stop to the driver(s) who arrived at the intersection first, or proceed first if they are that driver
  • Yield to any cars already inside an intersection when they arrive at it
  • Yield to the driver on their right if they reach an intersection at the same time as another driver
  • Yield to traffic already in roundabouts when they are approaching and entering the roundabout themselves

The other rules for yielding between cars and pedestrians, cyclists, or while overtaking other cars when you hurt can be explained by one of our attorneys as needed.

Proving Someone Else Failed To Yield Properly

You usually cannot use a police accident report or traffic citation for failure to yield as evidence in your lawsuit against the driver whose moving violation caused your Pinellas Park car crash. With or without a traffic ticket, you may have to build a case yourself proving that your wreck only happened because someone else broke the state’s right of way laws.

Depending on the circumstances, this may involve:

  • Tracking down and interviewing eyewitnesses to your crash
  • Obtaining copies of dashboard or traffic camera footage
  • Taking photos of the crash scene and the damage your vehicle sustained
  • Getting input from accident reconstruction experts
  • Obtaining nearby security footage of homes or businesses nearby
  • Obtaining evidence off of black boxes of the automobiles involved

Our lawyers could help you find and make effective use of all available information in pursuit of the compensation you need and deserve.

Talk to a Pinellas County Attorney After a Failure To Yield Car Accident

Yielding the right of way when needed is not optional or a matter of common courtesy. It is just as strictly required by state traffic laws as stopping at red lights and obeying speed limits. If someone else caused you injury in a wreck because they failed to yield properly, you may be able to hold them legally responsible for any harm you have suffered through their misconduct.

At Herman & Wells, we aim to empower everyone we help with the knowledge and confidence to enforce their rights. We do this by committing to accessibility, open communication, and compassion at every stage of the legal process. If you or a loved one has been injured in a failure to yield car accident in Pinellas Park, call today to schedule a free consultation with our team. Learn how we could help you with your case on a contingency basis, where you pay us nothing unless we get you paid first.