Despite the installation of cameras at intersections, red-light auto accidents continue to wreak havoc on the United States transportation system.
In 2018, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) recorded 846 fatalities that were the result of accidents at red-light traffic stops. If you suffer from the injuries caused by a red-light car crash, you should speak with a personal injury attorney. A lawyer can help you collect and organize the evidence required to demonstrate fault against the other driver.
Types of Red-Light Auto Accidents
Red light car crashes happen for several reasons. One of the most common causes of this type of auto insurance claim is a car speeding up to make it through an intersection before a yellow traffic light turns to red.
This is an especially dangerous maneuver when a second car is starting to turn from a perpendicular direction because the turn signal has changed to green. Another type of red light auto accident results from the distraction of a driver that sits directly behind a driver who has stopped at an intersection. The distracted driver rammed into the driver whose car remained stationary at a red light.
Types of Red-Light Car Crash Damages
A red-light car accident can cause extensive damage to your vehicle. The most vulnerable section of your car is the passenger side, which an oncoming car can significantly damage while traveling under normal driving conditions.
Rear-end crashes are another common result of red-light accidents. A vehicle can get under a stationary car at a red light and produce a substantial amount of body damage.
You can also suffer from one or more serious injuries, especially if your vehicle was stationary at an intersection waiting for a red light to turn green. Physical damages that you need to have covered by your insurance company might include whiplash, brain trauma, and one or more broken bones.
Reacting to a Red-Light Auto Accident
The shock of any type of car crash can lead to some poor decisions. After a red-light incident, check for injuries and if nothing appears to be serious, move your car off the road to call the closest law enforcement agency. If you have the equipment, set up flares to alert other drivers to the accident scene.
Law enforcement officers that arrive at the scene of the accident collect physical evidence, as well as interview the parties involved in the crash and any witnesses. The official police report is the most influential document that is submitted to your insurance company.
You can provide support for the police report by taking photographs of the accident scene and interviewing witnesses that saw what transpired before the crash. Exchanging personal and insurance company contact information accelerates the claim process.
One of the most important sources of evidence is the footage shot by a camera perched on top of a traffic light. Make sure to ask the law enforcement agency that responded to the crash to send a copy of the traffic light camera footage to your attorney and insurance company.
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A personal injury attorney can help prove you did not cause a red-light accident by submitting evidence to your insurance company. A lawyer can also file a civil lawsuit if there is proof the other driver caused the red-light car accident.
