Boston now flashes this clever message to help reduce its share of the whopping two million collisions every year in the United States. We need similar signs here. I have handled countless failure to yield the right of way cases over the last 34 years and I’m always amazed how easily preventable the crashes were.
Texas Law Requires Turn Signal Use — But Half Of Drivers Don’t
Why doesn’t everybody signal their turns? It’s obviously the smart thing to do. And drivers know that using turn signals is required. The Texas Transportation Code, Section 545.104(a) provides that
An operator shall use the signal authorized by Section 545.106 to indicate an intention to turn, change lanes, or start from a parked position.
(b) An operator intending to turn a vehicle right or left shall signal continuously for not less than the last 100 feet of movement of the vehicle before the turn.
However a national study a few years ago found that almost one-half of drivers fail to use their turn signal. I’m guessing that in the DFW area, that number is 80% or higher.
Left Turns Are A Major Cause Of Collisions
Car and truck accidents often involve a driver’s attempt to turn left across traffic. Who is liable when a wreck occurs? Under Texas law, if the turning vehicle has failed to yield the right of way to the vehicle approaching, he is usually deemed responsible. However, depending on other factors, including traffic control devices (whether there was a green arrow), whether turn signals were used, speed, visibility, point of impact, and the ability to brake, liability may have to be apportioned between the two vehicles.
If you are injured in a car or truck collision, you shouldn’t have to solve the nuances of liability and damages on your own. Our law firm will give you immediate useful advice regarding our Texas motor vehicle laws, insure that you receive proper medical treatment, and fight to make sure you receive a fair settlement. We have an outstanding record of obtaining the maximum compensation for our clients.
If you or someone you know is injured in an accident for whatever reason, including the other driver failing to execute a turn properly, you may be entitled to compensation. You should contact the Law Offices of William K. Berenson, P.C. You can call us at 817-885-8000 or toll-free at 1-888-801-8585 or by clicking here.
We have represented car and truck accident clients in Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas, all cities in between, and throughout the state of Texas. Our goal is to protect your rights and get you the best possible medical care and maximum financial compensation.