How to Avoid Failure to Yield Accidents in Illinois

 Posted on August 15,2019 in Aggressive Driving

There are many reasons why motor vehicle accidents occur. Chief among them include driver fatigue, mistakes, distracted driving  and driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. A common accident that occurs when under any of these circumstances is one where a driver fails to yield and causes an accident. The accident could involve another vehicle or other people using the road such as pedestrians or cyclists.

When to Yield

Under Illinois law, you are required to yield under the following circumstances:

• Stop Signs. You must yield to any pedestrian or traffic already on the intersection. If it is a four-way stop, the first driver arriving and stopping at the intersection is the one to move first. If all drivers arrive at the intersection at the same time, then the vehicle to the right should move first.
• Roundabouts. These are the most confusing, especially to new drivers but the rule is, you should yield to traffic already on the road, if you are approaching the road from a driveway, alley or side of the road. You should also yield to pedestrians on crosswalks before the roundabout.
• Driveways. You should yield to traffic already on the road if you are approaching from a driveway or side of the road.
• Intersections with no signals or stop signs. You must yield to other vehicles or pedestrians when they are already on the intersection, when there is a vehicle coming from the other direction of where you intend to make a left turn, or when entering a highway from a secondary road.
• Emergency vehicles. You must yield to all emergency vehicles with sirens or lights flashing. You should also move as far to the right as possible, come to a complete stop, and move only after the emergency vehicle has passed or you as you may be directed by a police officer or other person directing traffic.

These are just some of the situations where you must yield as required under the law. In all other situations, if you are unsure whether to yield or not, err on the side of safety by yielding while being mindful of drivers behind you. Failure to yield can result in serious and even fatal accidents so it is important to obey the rules that govern when to yield.

Lake County Injury Lawyer Can Help

If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident where a driver failed to yield, contact Waukegan personal injury attorney  to explore your available options. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your personal injury case by calling 847-662-3303 to set up an appointment at one of our convenient offices in Libertyville, Wheaton, Waukegan, Chicago, and Richmond. At Salvi & Maher, L.L.C., we collect our fees only when you collect compensation.

Sources:

http://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/062500050K11-904.htm

http://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=062500050HCh%2E+11+Art%2E+XII&ActID=1815&ChapterID=49&SeqStart=126600000&SeqEnd=127400000