Posted in Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on November 10, 2016
Failure to Yield Right of Way Leads to Accident in Clarksville
A driver’s failure to yield the right of way to another vehicle led to one person suffering injuries in Montgomery County Wednesday evening.
Per a report by Clarksville Now, the accident occurred just before 6 p.m. when the at-fault driver was attempting to turn left from N. 2nd St. onto Riverside Dr. when she was failed to yield to oncoming traffic. When she entered the roadway, her vehicle was struck on its passenger side by another car, which caused it to spin and crash into a light pole head-on.
One person suffered minor injuries because of the accident and was transported to Tennova Healthcare to receive treatment. She was quickly treated and released.
Clarksville Police charged the at-fault driver with failure to yield right of way. After an investigation, the CPD ruled out alcohol and drugs as potential factors in the crash.
The accident caused a brief delay as traffic in the area was temporarily blocked as police and emergency responders worked to clear the scene and investigate the crash.
When Do Right of Way Laws Apply?
Understanding when you or another driver or person sharing the road has the right of way is a fundamental aspect of driving, bicycling, and walking, but it’s also something that is often misunderstood. When drivers fail to properly yield the right of way in situations that call for it, serious accidents can occur.
Some of the most common right of way scenarios when drivers are required to yield to other people on roadways include the following:
When you approach a stop sign, you’re required by law to come to a complete stop before proceeding into and through the intersection. The right of way law comes into effect when other drivers are also waiting at the intersection. At four-way stops, drivers should get the right of way in the order that they reached the intersection. Avoid signaling drivers through the intersection when it’s your turn, as this can create confusion and lead to potential accidents.
When you approach a yield sign or a flashing yellow light, you should reduce your speed and give the right of way to any vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians who are approaching your location. Always reduce your speed enough to give yourself a chance to scan the roadway for the presence of other vehicles before you proceed.
When you approach a crosswalk where pedestrians are present, you are required to yield the right of way to them per Tennessee state law. You also must yield the right of way when pedestrians are walking towards a crosswalk and haven’t yet entered it, but they are close enough to be in danger if you proceed.
When you approach an intersection and you’re planning on turning left, you must yield the right of way to other vehicles heading in the opposite direction if you don’t have a green turn arrow or signal. You must also yield the right of way to traffic when you’re attempting to turn left in a left turn lane or in a median.
Other important times when you must yield right of way include when you approach individuals who use seeing-eye guide dogs, at T-shaped intersections, when driving on unpaved roads that intersect with paved roads, and when returning to the roadway after stopping on the shoulder.
The Clarksville auto accident attorneys at Matt Hardin Law have assisted many auto accident victims during the past two decades, we know that many crashes occur when drivers are unfamiliar with or fail to observe Tennessee’s right of way laws. Committing the rules of the road above to memory and always driving cautiously and observantly can go a long way towards reducing your risk of being involved in an accident.
Did you or someone you know get injured in an accident caused by a right of way law violation? If so, we want to speak with you. Contact our legal team today. Just dial (931) 274-7788.
