In Missouri, failure to yield accidents are a leading cause of car accidents, resulting in injuries, serious property damage, and even death. These accidents happen when a driver doesn’t right-of-way to pedestrians, bike riders, or other drivers.
According to data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, failure to yield was the primary cause of car accidents across the state in 2021.
Knowing and following Missouri’s right-of-way laws is critical to keeping yourself and others safe on the roads and keeping potentially devastating consequences at bay.
Where Failure to Yield Accidents Happen
Failure to yield accidents in Missouri often take place in a variety of settings and situations. These include:
- Intersections: Drivers not yielding in intersections that use red lights and stop signs to determine who has the right-of-way can cause confusion and crashes
- Crosswalks: Drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and follow “walk” and “don’t walk” signals to prevent injuries and fatalities
- Merging: Drivers getting onto the highway can crash into cars already driving on it if they fail to yield
- Yield Signs: Drivers must pause at these signs, stopping all movement until the roadway is clear of oncoming or merging traffic
- Driveways: Drivers pulling into or out of an alley or driveway must yield to approaching vehicles so they won’t hit other vehicles or pedestrians
- Roundabouts: Drivers must yield to those in a roundabout when they are entering the traffic circle so they don’t cause t-bone or rear-end accidents
- Blinking Yellow Lights: Drivers encountering blinking yellow traffic lights must wait until the intersection is clear to drive through it or make a left turn
Knowing where failure to yield accidents in Missouri are most common can help you take additional precautions to keep crashes from occurring in those areas.
Understanding Missouri Right-of-Way Laws
The concept of yielding to other drivers is crucial to creating an orderly and predictable traffic flow. Predictable traffic helps drivers properly plan their next move and avoid having to respond to surprises.
Still, it’s difficult to follow the rules if you don’t know them. Understanding right-of-way laws outlined in RSMo Section 304.351 is key to preventing failure-to-yield accidents in Missouri because it helps you make the right decision quickly.
Overlooking these key right-of-way laws can easily lead to accidents that result in property damage, injuries, and loss of life.
Moving Into Intersections
When approaching an intersection, you must yield to the vehicle that has already entered the intersection from another highway. However, it is important to note that Missouri law enforcement expects you to use good judgment, even if the other car has not fully reached the intersection.
If the other car is very close to the intersection and moving forward would create a hazard, you must wait until the intersection is clear.
If you enter an intersection at the same time as another vehicle or you are at an intersection where there are no traffic controls, you must yield the right-of-way to the driver on the right.
When it comes to T-intersections and roundabouts, you must yield the right-of-way to vehicles that are already moving. Make sure that you don’t turn or enter the traffic circle until traffic is clear.
Yielding to Emergency Vehicles
If you encounter an emergency vehicle, such as a police car or ambulance with flashing lights, you should always yield the right-of-way to that vehicle. In these cases, you should pull to the right when it is safe to do so to give them a clear pathway.
Not only is this the law, but it also ensures that first responders can get to their destinations quickly and without obstruction. That way, they can deliver emergency services to people who need them.
Making Turns
When making a right turn, it is essential to stay as close to the curb as you possibly can. Remember, you must yield to all pedestrians in the crosswalk and check for cars that may already be in the intersection before you can make your turn.
If there is a stop sign or a red arrow, make sure to come to a full stop before proceeding into the intersection to make your turn.
If you are making a left turn, Missouri law requires that you yield the right-of-way to any vehicles that are approaching from the opposite direction. Like all other situations, you are required to assess the distance of the vehicle from the intersection so you won’t create any hazards by pulling out into traffic when vehicles are too close.
When making any turn, it’s important to use your signal so that other drivers are aware of your intent.
Rules for Non-Drivers
Just because you are not behind the wheel of a vehicle doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow right-of-way laws on Missouri roads. In fact, you could argue that it’s even more critical for pedestrians and bicyclists to adhere to the rules, as the stakes are often higher if they are hit by a vehicle at high speed.
The right-of-way laws for cyclists and pedestrians are the same as for car drivers. There are very few exceptions to this rule, and all parties will be held to the same standards in the event of an accident.
If you are a pedestrian, the only time you have the right-of-way is when you are in a crosswalk. In all other areas of the road, you must yield to drivers.
The Cost of Failure to Yield Accidents
Failure to yield accidents in Missouri can be particularly devastating because they are unexpected and difficult to avoid. Because they didn’t see it coming, the victim of the crash may have no time to swerve out of the way or hit the brakes.
If the driver doesn’t realize their mistake in time and attempt to do something to correct it, both parties are likely to experience the full impact of the erroneous decision.
How Failure to Yield Accidents Affect Victims
These accidents can greatly affect victims, causing significant property damage at best and catastrophic injuries and death at worst. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has identified failure to yield as the fourth leading cause of deadly crashes across the United States.
These accidents can lead to financial hardship due to lost wages and loss of earning potential, as well as substantial medical care needs and costs.
Additionally, this can lead to immense mental and emotional anguish as well. Families can lose loved ones in the blink of an eye. Even if all drivers survive the crash, they may be hesitant to get behind the wheel of a car or even ride in a car as a passenger again for fear that they will have a similar experience in the future.
Possible Penalties for Drivers Who Cause Accidents
The driver who failed to yield can incur costs as well. Their property may be severely damaged, and they may face fines, legal fees, and license suspension depending on the nature of their behavior and the severity of the accident. If they are found to have been driving carelessly, they could even face criminal charges.
The cost can be even higher for motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. These travelers don’t have the protection of a motor vehicle to absorb at least some of the impact when a driver crashes into them. This makes them particularly vulnerable to injuries and death.
Knowledgeable Missouri Failure to Yield Accident Lawyers
If you have been injured in an accident where another driver failed to yield the right-of-way, you know how challenging the aftermath can be. You are likely focused on the financial or medical hardships you may be facing as a result of the crash.
In trying to tend to your own needs, you may be wondering how you could possibly hold the perpetrator responsible and pursue the compensation you need to pay your bills and receive medical care. Fortunately, hiring the right Missouri auto accident attorney can ensure you have an advocate on your side who is fighting for your rights.
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we have extensive experience helping clients navigate personal injury claims. Our attorneys can review your case, thoroughly investigate the crash to gather necessary evidence, and negotiate with insurers on your behalf.
Contact us today for a free initial case review to get your most pressing questions answered and get help to determine the best path forward.
We’ve helped victims of failure to yield accidents in cities across the state of Missouri including St. Louis, Independence, Jefferson City, Kansas City, Cape Girardeau, Springfield, and more.
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