Car Accidents On Monday, March 27, 2023
Connecticut has right-of-way traffic laws, rules and regulations that must be obeyed by every road user to prevent motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, not all drivers obey these laws. If a driver causes a car accident by failing to yield the right-of-way, his or her car insurance company may be financially responsible.
The right-of-way is the legal right to proceed with priority over others in a particular situation or location. At an intersection, the driver with the right-of-way is permitted to proceed across the road. All other drivers must yield the right-of-way, meaning they must come to a complete stop and allow the driver with the right-of-way to proceed. All types of road users have an obligation to obey Connecticut’s right-of-way laws, including drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Right-of-way laws are most important at intersections. These are places where two lanes of traffic or types of road users intersect. As such, these locations come with a high risk of collisions. Although every state has its own right-of-way laws, the road rules at an intersection remain generally the same. In Connecticut, who has the right-of-way depends on the type of intersection:
At an intersection with a traffic circle in Connecticut, drivers who approach the traffic circle must yield to drivers who are already in the circle. If someone fails to yield the right-of-way at an intersection in Connecticut, he or she may be financially responsible for a related car accident.
Connecticut’s right-of-way laws are also important for pedestrian safety. In Connecticut, pedestrians do not automatically have the right-of-way in all situations, even though they are the most vulnerable road users. Pedestrians have a responsibility to yield the right-of-way when they are given the “Wait” signal or red light at a controlled intersection. No pedestrian can leave a curb or place of safety to cross a road in front of a vehicle that is approaching quickly enough to make it impossible for the driver to stop.
Pedestrians have the right-of-way at uncontrolled intersections and crosswalks in Connecticut. At a marked or unmarked crosswalk or intersection that is not controlled by a traffic signal, motor vehicle drivers must stop and grant the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing the road. It is against the law for a driver to pass another vehicle that has stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross at a crosswalk. Any driver who violates Connecticut’s pedestrian right-of-way laws can receive a fine of up to $500.
It is important for all road users to obey right-of-way laws, as these rules direct traffic and prevent collisions between two lanes of opposite-direction traffic. Violating the law could lead to a serious car accident, such as a T-bone accident or pedestrian-vehicle collision. If you get injured in a right-of-way car accident in Connecticut, contact an attorney to discuss your options for seeking financial compensation. The at-fault driver or party may be financially responsible for your crash.