Intersection accidents often happen when drivers fail to yield the right of way. The right-of-way rules, as signaled by traffic lights, ensure that vehicles proceed through intersections in turn rather than all at once. Red and yellow light accidents in St. Louis, MO, happen when drivers disobey these signals.
Disregarding traffic lights exposes drivers to liability for any resulting crashes. The St. Louis car accident attorneys at Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers fight for accident victims after careless or impatient drivers disregard traffic signals.
Our founding attorney, James Eason, has over 22 years of experience advocating for injured clients in St. Louis, Missouri. Since the firm’s founding, our team has successfully recovered millions of dollars in settlements and court verdicts. Contact us at (314) 932-1066 to schedule a free consultation with our St. Louis personal injury attorneys.
How Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After Red and Yellow Light Accidents in St. Louis, MO
After you’ve been in a red or yellow light crash in St. Louis, Missouri, you should be able to focus on your health. Instead of trying to navigate the complicated claims process, you can hire Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers to support you at every step.
Our St. Louis personal injury lawyers can help you with your case by:
- Assessing their claims and explaining their options for seeking compensation
- Building a case by collecting evidence of liability and losses
- Filing an insurance claim against the at-fault party and negotiating to settle it
- Pursuing a lawsuit if we’re unable to resolve the claim through negotiation
A red or yellow light crash can result in severe or even fatal injuries. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with our St. Louis car accident lawyers and discover how we hold negligent drivers liable for the injuries they cause.
Red And Yellow Light Accident Statistics In Missouri
According to Table 1.27 of the Missouri Traffic Safety Compendium, violations of traffic signals and signs caused 6,236 traffic accidents in its most recent reporting year. These collisions included car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and bicycle accidents that occurred when someone disobeyed a traffic light, stop sign, or yield sign.
These events included 62 fatal accidents and 2,753 non-fatal injury accidents. In total, 76 people died and 4,643 people suffered non-fatal injuries.
Common Injuries from Red and Yellow Light Collisions
Red and yellow light collisions often involve a front-to-side collision, also known as a side-impact or “T-bone” collision. The vehicles may collide at any angle, depending on their trajectory before the crash. For example, a driver making a left turn on a red light might get hit at an oblique angle if they just started their turn when they were hit.
Angle crashes account for almost 45% of injury collisions. Despite occurring less often than rear-end crashes, they’re more likely to cause non-fatal injuries.
When vehicles collide at an angle, the airbags might not deploy. Moreover, seat belts are designed to prevent occupants from whipping forward rather than sideways. As a result, the occupants might strike the door, door frame, or side windows, resulting in severe trauma to the head, neck, and shoulders.
Liability for Red and Yellow Light Accidents in St. Louis
The liability for crashes at traffic lights depends on whether the light was red or yellow. Under Missouri law, drivers approaching a red light must come to a complete stop before entering an intersection or crossing a crosswalk. They must remain stopped until the light changes and traffic in the intersection clears.
This means that the liability for most red light crashes is relatively straightforward. When a driver enters an intersection after the light turns red, they violate Missouri’s traffic laws and, therefore, act negligently. As a result, they’ll generally be liable for any resulting crash.
If a traffic light turns red after the driver has entered the intersection, the analysis becomes slightly more complicated. A yellow light only signifies that a red signal is imminent. The law doesn’t require drivers to stop when facing a yellow light. Thus, drivers can enter an intersection when approaching a yellow light. The reasonableness of this act depends on the circumstances.
For example, if the yellow light is very “stale,” the driver may violate their duty of care by entering the intersection. Similarly, a driver may be negligent if they speed up when the light turns yellow to make it through the intersection before it turns red. In such instances, an insurer or jury might allocate fault between the drivers under Missouri’s pure comparative fault law.
Contact Our St. Louis Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
An intersection crash can result in disabling injuries that require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. Contact Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your injury-related losses and your options for seeking compensation for them. Call our St. Louis car accident lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
