Disobeying traffic signs and signals makes for one of the leading causes of intersection crashes throughout Orlando, FL, and the rest of the state. In particular, these traffic violations led to over 30,000 crashes in 2021 alone, according to the Florida Crash Facts Report.
Side-impact crashes — which are common in situations where a driver fails to adhere to a changing signal or other traffic sign — have a high fatality rate because a car hitting your door can collapse the passenger compartment and crush you.
When you suffer these injuries, an Orlando red and yellow light accident lawyer from Payer Personal Injury Lawyers can help you recover compensation under Florida law. Contact us today for a free case review. You can call us at (407) 648-1510.
How Payer Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Red and Yellow Light Accident In Orlando, FL
Since 2007, Payer Personal Injury Lawyers has represented injured clients in Orlando, Florida, against at-fault parties and their insurers. Our Orlando car accident lawyers have over 28 combined years of legal experience and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in injury compensation for our clients.
After you suffer an injury, our attorneys will provide you with the following:
- A case review to assess your situation and explain your legal options for compensation
- Aggressive negotiation to try to settle your insurance claim against the at-fault driver
- Decades of courtroom experience to fight for you in court if your case does not settle
Collisions that result from running red and yellow lights can cause severe and even fatal injuries. With that in mind, do not hesitate to contact Payer Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your crash and how we can help you recover fair recompense for the injuries you’ve sustained.
How Many Traffic Signal Crashes Happen?
In 2021, over 315,000 people were involved in intersection accidents that caused over 1,000 fatalities and nearly 97,000 injuries, according to the Florida Crash Facts Report.
Of those accidents, red light crashes, in particular, caused the following outcomes:
- 97 deaths
- 781 serious injuries that required an ambulance
- 3,865 minor injuries that caused a visible wound without incapacitating the victim
- 7,773 possible injuries that produced symptoms without visible wounds
In comparison, stop sign violations only caused about half as many injuries and fatalities, thereby placing red light violations at the top of the list of causes of intersection accidents.
Overview of Red and Yellow Light Accidents
Red and yellow light accidents generally get lumped together, but running a red light has different legal significance than running a yellow light.
Red Light Running
Under Florida law, a driver facing a steady red light must stop at the light’s intersection or accompanying crosswalk and remain there until the light turns green. The only exception to the rule is that a driver turning right can proceed after coming to a full stop and ensuring that any cross-traffic has cleared.
If the driver disobeys a clear red light, they can face several legal consequences, such as receiving a citation for a non-criminal traffic infraction. A judge will assess a fine, but the driver will not risk jail time unless they fail to pay it.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) will also add three points to the driver’s license for failing to stop at a red light before turning right, and that number will rise to four points should the driver turn left or proceed straight after running the red light.
Additionally, the driver will face full civil liability for any injuries or deaths that result from the violation. Under Florida law, minor injuries will usually fall under the state’s no-fault insurance system; each injured person will file a claim with their no-fault insurance carrier instead of seeking compensation from the at-fault driver.
When car accident victims suffer serious injuries, or if another exception to the state’s no-fault rules applies, they can file a claim against the at-fault driver and their liability insurer. Victims will need to prove the at-fault driver acted negligently to recover compensation. In a red-light crash, their lawyers can prove the other driver acted negligently by pointing to the illegal nature of their actions.
Yellow Light Running
Running a yellow is a substantially different legal matter. Florida statutes only denote that a yellow light acts as a warning that the light will soon turn red. The driver facing the yellow light still has the right of way, and proceeding past it does not violate the state’s traffic signal laws. As a result, the driver will not get a ticket for failing to slow down at a yellow light.
Nevertheless, the driver might still face civil liability, depending on any accompanying circumstances. If the driver speeds up to try to make the light, the combination of speeding and running the light might amount to negligence.
Similarly, if the driver was distracted and failed to see the light change, distracted driving alongside the act of running the yellow light might meet the standard of negligence.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Orlando Red and Yellow Light Accident Lawyers
Red or yellow light violations can cause collisions that leave you or others with serious injuries and long-term disabilities. Contact Payer Personal Injury Lawyers to learn about the compensation you can pursue for your injuries from an intersection crash.
Our experienced Orlando red and yellow light accident lawyers work on contingency, which means you only pay us attorney’s fees if we successfully handle your claim. Call today to get started with a free consultation.
