Red and Yellow Light Accidents
Have you been injured in a car accident in NYC where the driver ran a red light or yellow light? You may be entitled to financial damages for your injuries in a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
Contact the red and yellow light accident lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. to discuss your rights. We are available 24/7/365 to take your call and answer your questions. If we represent you, we will not charge any legal fees unless we recover money for you.
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How an NYC Car Accident Lawyer Can Help Following a Red or Yellow Light Accident
You may be eligible for compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering following a red or yellow light accident. A knowledgeable NYC car accident lawyer can review the specifics of your accident and determine your legal rights and actions. At our personal injury law firm, if we represent you, we will:
- Arrange an independent investigation of the cause of the accident
- Identify all parties liable for your injuries
- Limit / reduce your own liability if you share fault
- Ensure your case is valued properly.
Without a competent and experienced lawyer advocating for your rights, it may be impossible to get fair compensation. The skilled and knowledgeable NYC personal injury lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. can help you protect your rights and preserve evidence immediately following an accident.
Our lawyers have more than 40 years of experience representing individuals and families who have been harmed by negligence, including in intersection accidents.
Red and Yellow Light Accidents Cause Serious Injuries
An accident at a red or yellow light may cause serious or fatal injuries for passenger vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, including:
- Blunt force trauma injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Seatbelt injuries
- Internal organ injuries
- Chest injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Bone fracture injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Intersection accidents may be caused by inattention, distraction, misjudgment of light timing or another vehicle’s speed, reckless driving, or impairment from drugs or alcohol. If the negligence of another driver caused your injuries, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Intersections With Traffic Signals in New York City
New York City is very crowded – about 8.8 million people live in NYC. There are 12,460 intersections with traffic signals in NYC, including:
- 2,820 intersections in Manhattan
- 1,605 Intersections in the Bronx
- 4,371 intersections in Brooklyn
- 3,119 intersections in Queens
- 545 intersections in Staten Island.
While many people believe that traffic signals at intersections can address speeding problems, this is not true. Traffic signals regulate the right-of-way of drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. However, they can be dangerous because they can sometimes cause drivers to speed up to get through red lights and yellow lights.
Dangerous Corridors and Intersections in New York
The New York City Department of Transportation has a bold and ambitious goal with their Vision Zero initiative – eradicating all traffic deaths in New York City. The initiative acknowledges that deaths and serious injuries are not just accidents, but preventable events that can be ended with education, enforcement, and engineering. The NYC DOT has identified several intersections with high rates of accidents, and high rates of pedestrian fatalities and severe injuries.
- Jamaica Avenue, Francis Lewis Boulevard to 224th Street
- Northern Boulevard, 71st Street to 112th Street
- Rockaway Boulevard, Sutphin Boulevard to Farmers Boulevard.
Improvements are being made to reduce the high rates of injuries and deaths at these locations and others.
If you have been injured in a dangerous intersection due to a yellow or red light runner in NYC, you may be entitled to financial compensation in a personal injury claim. Pedestrians and bicyclists are especially vulnerable to yellow and red-light runners at intersections, where drivers may be looking for other vehicles, but not looking for people walking, running, or riding (who may have the right-of-way).
Left-Turn Accidents Involving Pedestrians and Cyclists
According to a report published by the NYC DOT, a left turn is a more dangerous turn than a right turn, for three specific reasons:
- Drivers take a wider radius in a left turn, which affords them more time to speed up going into a turn ( crash analysis revealed left turns occurred at an average of 9.3 mph vs. right turns at 5.6 mph)
- Left turns require more mental and physical effort than right turns (greater driver workload)
- Driver’s visibility to see other vehicles or pedestrians may be partially obscured by the vehicle’s A-pillar (vertical support between the front windshield and door window).
Nearly 80% of the time, when pedestrians or bicyclists are injured or killed by a left-turning vehicle, the vehicle is a passenger vehicle.
Passenger vehicles are much more likely than commercial vehicles to speed up through an intersection at a yellow or red light.
When a left-turn accident occurs, the driver of the passenger vehicle is often responsible for the accident, having violated the right-of-way of the pedestrian or bicyclist. When this happens, the driver may be liable for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Rear-End Accidents at NYC Intersections
Unfortunately, many drivers interpret a yellow light to mean “hurry up and get through the intersection.” Motorists should never accelerate through an intersection. Intersections are dangerous enough without drivers speeding.
Rear-end accidents at intersections often occur when the driver of one vehicle decides to slow down for a yellow light (and stop), and the vehicle behind it decides to speed through it, they may rear-end the stopping vehicle. Depending on the speed and severity of impact, these collisions can cause serious injuries.
Get a Free Consultation with a Car Accident Attorney After a New York Car Accident Law Firm
Getting fair compensation after an intersection accident can be challenging because liability is often disputed. If the insurance company does accept liability, a settlement may be a low and inadequate amount. You do not have to let the insurance company dictate your future. If you have been seriously hurt in a red or yellow light accident in NYC, contact the car accident lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. at (212) 607-8240 for a free case evaluation.
Other Car Accident Cases We Cover
- Parking lot accidents
- Self-driving car accidents
- Passenger negligence
- Lane change crashes
- Multi-vehicle accidents
