Every time you leave your driveway to navigate the public roads, you rely on traffic signals and traffic devices, and signs to tell you what to do. If one is malfunctioning, inaccurate (traffic signal timing) or simply missing, you or another driver could make a terrible mistake and cause a serious car accident due to defective traffic signals. If you’re familiar with the area, you might do the right thing by habit, but what about a driver who’s never seen the sign before? If you have a car accident due to a faulty or missing traffic control device, you may be entitled to compensation. Here’s some more information for you to consider:
The Wide Variety of Traffic Signals:
Because we’re surrounded by traffic signs and signals, we often take them for granted. The most common devices include traffic lights, speed limit signs, yield and stop signs, school and pedestrian crossings, turning lanes, traffic circles and roundabouts. You probably never thought of common lane markings as a traffic control device, but these simple stripes and dotted lines prevent a considerable amount of accidents by clearly identifying individual lanes and passing zones.
What Happens When These Signals Aren’t Working?
In some cases, there are rules in place to let you know what to do if a traffic control device isn’t working. For example, when a stop light doesn’t work, the intersection automatically turns into a four-way stop. However, when a stop sign is missing, there’s nothing there to tell drivers what to do, and accidents are a common result.
Who’s To Blame?
This is the tricky part. Is the city considered at fault when a traffic control device isn’t functioning properly? In some cases, they may be, but seeking financial compensation from a government body can be difficult even when they are clearly at fault. This is where an experienced personal injury attorney comes into play. With their extensive knowledge of the law and invaluable experience with similar cases, they can counsel you on the best approach to recover financially for your damages. At the same time, they can also pursue a remedy with your insurance company regardless of whether you received a ticket.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident as a result of a missing, faulty or inactive traffic signal or sign, call San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys for advice. Because the initial consultation is completely free and we don’t get paid if you don’t win, you have absolutely nothing to lose.