Tucson intersections sadly are common places for accidents to happen, as any Tucson car accident lawyer can tell you. There’s a lot happening at an intersection, and the presence of pedestrians and bicyclists can make intersections even more confusing.
Rear End Collisions
Rear end collisions occur most often when distractions or carelessness overtake the driver behind another car. So-called “distracted driving” can be the result of things like:
- Texting while driving
- Making phone calls while driving
- Looking down or otherwise turning away from the road for a split second (to change radio stations, etc.)
- Talking to another person in the car and/or roughhousing, etc. while driving
In addition to causing the initial impact, a rear end collision can also cause a “chain reaction” involving multiple vehicles. When the first vehicle impacts the vehicle in front of it, the vehicle behind the second vehicle can then impact it, and so forth. In such a situation, multiple drivers may be able to seek compensation from those responsible for starting the chain reaction.
Collisions with Oncoming Traffic
This type of collision happens most often when a car leaves an intersection and turns in front of oncoming traffic – often without leaving enough distance between the oncoming traffic and the car in question to complete the turn without causing an accident.
Side-Impact or “T-bone” Collisions
A broadside, or “T-bone” crash occurs when the front, or sometimes rear, of one vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle, usually forming a “T”. These types of impacts happen most often when a driver runs a red or yellow light instead of stopping as appropriate.
Sideswipe Collisions
When one or more vehicles turn together, try to make lane changes, or merge at an intersection, they can accidentally make contact with each other and cause this type of collision.
Pedestrian Collisions
Drivers in Arizona must exercise care and caution with pedestrians at all times. That means that they must be vigilant about pedestrian traffic, especially at the crosswalk. When there is a crosswalk present, drivers must yield to pedestrians at all times – unless a pedestrian walks or runs into the path of a vehicle so quickly that the driver is completely unable to yield. Pedestrians, too, must uphold their duties as set forth by Arizona law, in that they must follow traffic signals and only cross at marked crosswalks. When a crosswalk is not available, pedestrians have to yield the right-of-way to motorists.
Bicyclist Collisions
Arizona law considers bicycles as a type vehicles. As a result, bicyclists must obey the same rules of the road as motorists – and have the same rights as other motorists. Bicycle/car collisions happen most often at intersections. When the driver is at fault, it’s usually because the driver of the car fails to recognize and yield the right-of-way to the cyclist.
Involved in Intersection Accident in Tucson? Contact a Tucson Car Accident Lawyer as Soon as You’re Able
As soon as possible after the accident, contact a Tucson car accident lawyer. Arizona has a two-year statute of limitations within which to resolve your claim or file a lawsuit for vehicle accidents.
Even if you are partially at fault for the intersection accident in Tucson, your Tucson car accident lawyer can still help you file for damages in a personal injury case. That’s because Arizona operates under “pure comparative fault” or comparative negligence for intersection accidents. That means that the courts will deduct the percentage you were at fault for from your total compensation. Therefore, if you are 10% responsible for the accident, you can still receive 90% of the damages you would have otherwise received.
Your Tucson Car Accident Lawyer is Here to Help 24 hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
Contact Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys today at 520-977-1900. Our office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. But, we are available to pick up the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are the hardest working attorneys in Arizona and offer free consult, with no fees unless you win. Call now!