Is it my fault?!?

Question

Ok, here is the scoop:
i was at a green light on a street with 2 way traffic that is perpendicular to a street with 3 lanes going either way (6 lanes + median). There was a truck halfway in the intersection waiting to turn onto the 3 lane highway. He turned when there was break in the traffic so i proceeded after while the light was still green. Almost instantly after i passed the stop line, the light turned amber so i kept going as i had no time to stop. when i was in the intersection, in the perpendicular lane farthest from me, the lady took off quickly and i hit her. Would that be my fault?

Answer 1

If you entered the intersection while the light was still green, then you should have the right to clear the intersection without opposing traffic getting in your way. I am assuming by what you have written that the lady you hit was stopped at a red light, and jumped the green light in her lane.

Even if you have a green light, you MUST wait until the intersection is clear before entering it. If another car is in the way, you must wait until that vehicle has cleared the intersection before you pull out... If this is what happened, then the other car was at least partly at fault.

Answer 2

Here is my personal rule. I never enter an intersection on a yellow light, unless I'm certain that I can clear the intersection before it turns red. If I ever even see the light turn red out of the top of my windshield for even a fraction of a second before I clear it. I consider it a deficiency in my driving. But the only time that ever happens, is when traffic is backed up on the other side. In which case it doesn't really matter. Since the intersection is effectively blocked anyway.

This rule works for me. I've been driving a long time, many hours a day, and I've never been involved in an accident at a traffic signal.

Now back to your situation. There is something wrong with your story. It just doesn't happen that way. At least thats just not the way that traffic signals work here in the US.

Answer 3

Did I miss something, or did you not tell us which way you were turning and which way this lady was going?

Amber=yellow I'm assuming this lady was stopped at the red light for the opposing traffic lanes. How/ why was she going through an intersection on a yellow light? Lots of info left out here...

Answer 4

If you were in the intersection when the light was green and it turned amber .You have the right to clear the intersection. If you were back and ENTERED the intersection when the light was yellow you entered that intersection at your own risk. Regardless if you were turning and the lady hit you starting from a dead stop she was at fault. She should of been charged with failure to yield the right of way. I just dont see ,with what you have said, it was your fault

Answer 5

Not your fault. You entered the intersection under a green light. Light changed to yellow while you were in the intersection. I'm sure you cleared the intersection before it turned red.
The other driver should check to make sure the intersection is cleared before proceeding (even if they had a green light)

Answer 6

In California, it was that lady's obligation for you to clear the intersection before she entered.

This would be especially true if you actually did enter the intersection BEFORE your light turned red, and there was nothing preventing you from finishing your left turn.

Still, even given the fact that you had the right of way, if there was any way to avoid hitting her, you should have. Depending on the exact set of circumstances, BOTH of you may be assigned percentages of responsibility.

Answer 7

sure ur gonna hate to hear this but yea probaly is gonna be ur fault if she had the green light and ur was red and yellow at the time i went through it.

but if they dont look at that would depend on where u hit her at the front of the car might be her fault and the back would be urs

Answer 8

I think its the lady's fault. i mean, u were in the intersection already and she should've saw u.

Answer 9

Unfortunately yes, that is your fault.

Answer 10

yep