Fort Lauderdale Intersection Traffic Accidents – Failure to Yield the Right of Way

Maybe it is because I am a Fort Lauderdale injury attorney that I seem to be particularly aware of an apparent traffic law violation that is occurring more frequently; but it seems as though more and more drivers in South Florida are failing to yield the right of way at an intersection.

Florida traffic laws, as well as laws throughout the United States were created to insure the safe flow of traffic on our public streets and highways. Since vehicles are inherently dangerous and in fact described as dangerous instrumentalities, and whether it be car, van, bus, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs and the like, unless the operator of a motor vehicle is exercising due care and complying with Florida’s Traffic Law Regulations it is likely that a vehicular accident will occur.

Lately it appears that more and more operators of motor vehicles are turning left at intersections without having a steady green signal – in the face of oncoming traffic. It is this writer’s observation that this behavior is likely responsible for more and more traffic accidents. An examination of F.S. 316.075 dictates that vehicles turning either right or left at an intersection must yield the right of way to either other vehicles or pedestrians, in, or adjacent to the intersection. Does that wording create confusion for new vehicle operators who deem their authority to turn left in front of vehicles or pedestrians by some convoluted definition of adjacent to, or are we witnessing a new segment of our society that might be so inconsiderate of others that they are carelessly and negligently risking their own lives as well as the lives of other motorists by doing so?