When drivers in Las Vegas are required by law to yield the right of way and don’t do so, they can cause anything from more severe accidents to minor fender-benders.
In nearly seven percent of all fatal crashes in the country, drivers failed to yield the right of way. What may seem a relatively minor accident can leave a victim with life-altering injuries and tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
What Is a Failure To Yield?
To yield means waiting while another driver goes because that driver has the right of way. Drivers must yield the right of way in various situations, including when entering a roadway, changing lanes, making turns, and traveling through intersections.
Drivers in Las Vegas should wait until there is an adequate break in the oncoming traffic that would allow them to make a left turn without causing any interruption in the flow of oncoming traffic.
When drivers are supposed to yield but don’t, they have broken a traffic law and can get a ticket. Failing to yield is a civil infraction in Nevada. The civil penalty in Las Vegas is $305, and the Nevada DMV tacks four demerit points on the at-fault driver’s license.
When the failure to yield causes an accident, the driver is legally liable for the damages and injuries.
Some Common Situations Wherein One Must Yield The Right Of Way Include:
- Drivers approaching intersections shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles that have entered the intersection from a different highway.
- When two vehicles in Las Vegas enter an intersection from different highways at the same time, the driver of the car on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.
- When two vehicles enter an intersection at the same time, one vehicle traveling on a highway that ends at the intersection and the other vehicle traveling on a through highway, the vehicle on the highway that ends at the intersection shall yield the right-of-way to the other driver.
- The vehicle driver about to enter or cross a highway from a private way shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching such road.
- Drivers about to enter or exit a controlled-access highway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching the route.
- Drivers should yield the right of way to emergency vehicles, highway maintenance vehicles, and workers in a construction zone.
- If you are entering a street or highway, yield the right of way to vehicles already on the roadway.
- Stop for a school bus with flashing lights and a sign extended.
Under Nevada law, drivers have a duty of care when encountering bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, and pedestrians. The driver of a motor vehicle shall not enter, stop, stand, park, or drive within a pathway or lane provided for bicycles, electric bicycles, or electric scooters.
Proving Liability in A Failure To Yield The Right Of Way Accident
Most lawsuits arising from failure to yield accidents in Las Vegas allege that the defendant’s negligence caused the accident. To prove negligence in a Las Vegas failure to yield case, the plaintiff must show that the defendant had a duty to yield, and the defendant breached the duty by either failing to yield altogether or yielding for a sufficient amount of time to prevent the accident. The defendant’s breach of duty caused the accident.
This means that the plaintiff must show that the accident would not have happened if the defendant had not failed to yield as required and that the defendant’s failure to yield contributed to the accident.
To prove and recover the compensation that you deserve, you will need to gather a variety of evidence that may include statements of witnesses, photo evidence, any video footage of the accident, a Police report, the testimony of the other driver, and damage to the vehicles involved in the accident.
Failure To Yield the Right Way Can Cause T-bone Accidents
Failure to yield right-of-way is one of the most common factors in T-bone accidents.
Generally, T-bone accidents occur when one driver does not give the other driver the right of way. T-bone car accidents, also known as side-impact collisions, are some of the most fatal accidents on Las Vegas roads. Victims of T-bone accidents are only separated from the colliding vehicle by a door and window. A window can shatter on impact, spraying the victim with shards of glass, and a car door’s thin sheet of metal can dent or crumple very easily.
When a driver attempts to enter an intersection without slowing down or stopping first, the other drivers may not have enough time to react, resulting in a collision. To prevent this type of accident, drivers should always be prepared to stop and yield the right-of-way when entering an intersection. Neither driver has enough time to react in T-bone collisions, so the impact is often devastating.
Pacific West Injury – A Las Vegas Personal Injury Law Firm Built on Trust And Compassion
At Pacific West Injury Law, our car accident attorneys are experienced in tackling even our clients’ most complicated accident cases. Not all attorneys are capable of adequately handling complex injury cases. The auto accident lawyers at our Las Vegas personal injury law firm have experience dealing with all car accidents. From hit-and-run accidents to multi-car collisions, we’ve helped our clients recover the money they needed for their injuries.
If you or a loved one have been injured by a negligent driver who failed to yield the right of way in Las Vegas, Henderson, or North Las Vegas, a car accident attorney can help you decide the best way to pursue compensation for your injuries. Seeking guidance from a knowledgeable car accident attorney specializing in failure to yield right-of-way accidents is essential for anyone whose life has been impacted by such an accident.
Discover the difference Pacific West Injury Law can make in your claim and recovery by contacting us today for a free case evaluation.
