Atlanta Red and Yellow Light Accidents
Intersection accidents are incredibly common in Atlanta. Fortunately, you could be entitled to compensation if you’ve recently been injured in a red or yellow light car accident. Contact Hasner Law PC to discuss your potential legal options for recovery. Our car accident lawyers will help you fight to maximize your financial settlement or award.
We offer a free consultation. So, you can get started by giving our Fulton County law office a call at (678) 888-4878 or connecting with us online.
Red and Yellow Light Crashes Are Common in Atlanta
Did you know that, nationwide, roughly 40 percent of all motor vehicle accidents happen at or near an intersection? And, 21 percent of all fatal crashes involve an intersection. Georgia ranks near the top when it comes to fatal intersection crashes – and not in a good way. In 2017, only 10 states reported a higher rate of intersection fatalities per 1,000 miles of road.
Atlanta is home to some of the most dangerous intersections in the state. City intersections that are notoriously dangerous include:
- Memorial Drive and North Hairston Road
- East Park Place and Stone Mountain Highway
- Covington Highway and Panola Road
- Cobb Place Blvd. and Earnest Barrett Pkwy
- Jimmy Carter Blvd. and Peachtree Industrial Blvd, and
- State Bridge Road and Medlock Bridge Road.
This is not an exhaustive list. There are many intersections in Atlanta and the surrounding metropolitan area that are risky to navigate.
Causes of Red and Yellow Light Accidents in Atlanta
Intersections are inherently complicated. There are a lot of moving parts. For that reason, it’s important for everyone – motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians – to exercise extra caution when approaching and passing through a crossroads. However, intersections seem to be where people engage in the riskiest – not the safest – behavior. Common causes of red and yellow light accidents include:
- Speeding up to attempt to beat a yellow light before it turns red
- Not paying attention behind the wheel while stopped at a red light
- Hitting the gas as soon as the light turns from red to green, regardless of what other drivers are doing
- Making an illegal right-hand turn on red
- Making a risky left-hand turn in front of oncoming traffic as the light turns from yellow to red
- Rolling through a stop sign or red light without coming to a complete stop, and
- Running through a red light without stopping, at all.
These things can be the result of negligence or a simple disregard for the law. Either way, if you get hurt, as a result, you could be entitled to a financial award. Our Atlanta personal injury lawyers are here to help you understand your rights. Give us a call to learn more today.
Know Your Rights and Obligations at Atlanta Intersections
Traffic lights and signals are supposed to help regulate the flow of traffic. However, they can only work if everyone understands the law. They can only function as intended and keep people safe if everyone knows their rights and obligations. Here’s a brief overview of Atlanta intersection law.
What Different Traffic Signals Mean
Steady Red Light: You must come to a complete stop and wait for the light to turn green before proceeding through the intersection. If you want to make a right-hand turn, you can do so after coming to a full stop and there is no sign prohibiting the move.
Blinking Red Light: You must come to a complete stop, look for oncoming traffic, and wait until it is safe to pass through the intersection. If you reach an intersection at the same time as someone else, whoever is on the left might yield the right of way to the driver on the right.
Steady Yellow Light: Prepare to stop your vehicle, unless you can make it through the intersection without speeding up before the light changes or if stopping would create a hazard.
Steady Green Light: Proceed through the intersection if it is safe to do so. However, “wait until the intersection is clear of traffic or approaching traffic before entering. Do not proceed ‘just because’ you have the green light.” If you block the box in Atlanta, you can get a citation, points on your license, and even lose your license for multiple violations.
Steady Red Arrow: Come to a complete stop and wait to turn until the light is green.
Flashing Yellow Arrow: Come to a complete stop and wait until there is a safe window to execute a left-hand turn.
Steady Green Arrow: You have the right-of-way to make a right-hand or left-hand turn. However, use caution and search for distracted drivers, fatigued drivers, drunk drivers, bicyclists, or pedestrians in your path.
Simply having the right of way doesn’t mean that you can proceed through an intersection without care. In Atlanta, intersections are where cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians come face-to-face. As a driver, you must yield to pedestrians who have already committed to crossing the road.
We Handle All Red and Yellow Light Injury Cases in Atlanta
At Hasner Law PC, we represent clients who have been injured because of a car accident at a red or yellow light in Atlanta. This includes:
- Rear-end collisions
- Side-impact collisions (left-turn accidents and right turn accidents)
- Head-on collisions
- Rollovers
- Pedestrians struck by cars
- Bicyclists struck by cars, and
- Collisions between bicyclists and pedestrians.
Our personal injury attorneys understand how devastating a crash at an intersection can be. So, don’t hesitate to give us a call for legal advice and assistance. We’ll do everything we can to get you the money you need and deserve.
Who’s Liable For Injuries Caused By a Red and Yellow Light Accident?
Red and yellow light accidents can be particularly traumatic. If someone else is even remotely responsible for the collision, you could be entitled to a financial award. In Georgia, you can file a claim for damages against anyone who shares responsibility. This might include:
- Drivers of passenger vehicles
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Motorcyclists
- Bus drivers
- MARTA operators
- Truck drivers
- Transit companies
- Employers of at-fault parties
- Product manufacturers
- Government agencies, and more.
The only way to know who’s responsible for your injuries is by determining why the accident happened in the first place. Hasner Law PC will carefully investigate the crash to find the answer. We’ll gather, scrutinize, and assess the evidence. We’ll even bring in experts to help us along the way, if necessary. Once we can identify the cause(s) of your red and yellow light accident, we can know who to hold financially accountable.
Common injuries in an auto accident may include:
- Airbag injuries
- Chest injuries
- Seatbelt injuries
- Broken bones
- Concussion injuries
- Knee injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- And more
Damages Might Be Available After Your Red and Yellow Intersection Crash
The costs of an unexpected accident can be overwhelming. Physical injuries can be painful and take time to heal. Some never will. The emotional trauma of the crash can stay with you for years to come, affecting your ability to live your life. Complications could keep you out of work, putting a serious strain on your finances.
Our auto accident attorneys will work diligently to help you recover money for any and all of your crash-related costs. We’ll seek all available economic and non-economic damages. This could include money for:
- Present and future medical bills
- Lost income and wages
- Disability
- Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- Property damage
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement, and more.
If someone you love has died in a fatal intersection crash in Atlanta, we can pursue wrongful death damages on your behalf. A successful financial recovery might not ease your pain, but it can make a significant difference in your life for years to come.
Statute of Limitations For Red and Yellow Light Accident Lawsuits in Georgia
Following an intersection accident in Atlanta, Georgia, you will only have a limited amount of time to assert your legal rights. Typically, the statute of limitations for car accident lawsuits is two years. The clock begins to run at the date of your accident or when you discover your injury, whichever is later.
If you miss the deadline that applies to your particular case, you’ll forfeit the right to recover compensation. So, it is critical that you enlist the help of a qualified attorney as soon as you can after you get hurt.
Schedule a Time to Discuss Your Case with An Atlanta Auto Accident Lawyer Today
Red and yellow light accidents can be very traumatic. These collisions can cause a lot of damage. Fortunately, monetary compensation might be available to you or your loved ones. Hasner Law PC can help you fight to recover every last dollar you deserve.
Our Atlanta law firm extends a free consultation to all crash victims. So, don’t hesitate to give us a call to schedule yours today. When you sit down with us, we’ll listen to your story, answer your questions, and help you understand what options might be available to you at this time. There’s a limited window of time to file a claim, so call now.
