Failure-to-Yield Car Accidents in Spartanburg

To pass your driver’s license test in South Carolina, you have to prove that you know and can correctly follow posted street signs or traffic lights and that you understand and can adhere to the rules set by state law for who has the right-of-way in different situations. A failure-to-yield offense—a moving violation where a driver fails to follow right-of-way rules—is a common cause of auto accidents nationwide.

Drivers injured in failure-to-yield car accidents in Spartanburg may have grounds to seek financial compensation from the at-fault parties through insurance claims, civil lawsuits, or both. For the best possible chance of getting full compensation for your losses, you should strongly consider seeking the help of an auto collision attorney from Holland & Usry as early as possible in the case process.

What Qualifies as a “Failure-to-Yield” Under State Law?

Generally, anyone entering a roadway from a side street, driveway, alleyway, or parking lot should yield to oncoming traffic, and they should only advance into the roadway when it’s safe to do so. South Carolina state law also sets out the following rules for right-of-way in other scenarios:

  • The first vehicle arriving at a four-way stop has the right-of-way; other drivers should yield
  • If two or more drivers reach an intersection at the same time, the vehicle on the right proceeds first
  • Drivers turning left at an intersection should yield to oncoming traffic
  • All drivers should yield to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks
  • All drivers should pull over and yield to emergency vehicles with their lights and sirens on

A driver who breaks any of these rules has violated their duty of care to act lawfully and responsibly behind the wheel, and if they cause a car crash in Spartanburg through their failure-to-yield, they’re legally negligent and liable for damages.

Proving That Someone Else Violated Right-of-Way Laws

Sometimes, proving someone else is at fault for a right-of-way wreck is as simple as referencing an attending police officer’s accident report. If the report includes a citation for a failure-to-yield offense issued against the other driver, it can be very strong evidence indicating they’re primarily at fault for the wreck during private settlement talks or a civil court trial.

However, if police don’t cite the other driver for any traffic offense, it’ll fall to the injured individual to prove that someone else’s failure-to-yield was the main and direct cause of their auto accident in Spartanburg. A lawyer can help collect and effectively use evidence such as witness testimony, traffic or dashboard camera footage, crash scene photos, and input from accident reconstructionists.

Discuss Legal Options With a Spartanburg Attorney After a Failure-to-Yield Car Accident

Failure-to-yield is a prime example of negligence behind the wheel that can justify a civil lawsuit over a traffic wreck. However, proving this specific type of traffic offense to the satisfaction of a civil court or car insurance provider can be anything but simple, especially if you try to do it alone.

Fortunately, you have help available from Holland & Usry with failure-to-yield car accidents in Spartanburg. We can construct the strongest possible claim and pursue the compensation you need. Call today to learn more about your recovery options during a free initial case review.