Truck Driver Failing to Yield Causing New Mexico Trucking Accident
New Mexico Trucking Accident from Truck Driver Failing to Yield
Auto accidents with large commercial vehicles such as 18 wheelers, tractor trailers, semis, big rigs, and other box trucks are always dangerous. They are also potentially devastating, frequently causing serious injuries and wrongful deaths of innocent people. One of the common causes of a New Mexico trucking accident is a truck driver’s failure to yield. This could result in deadly t-bone, catastrophic head on, or fatal rear end collisions. This is particularly true at intersections or interstate mergers, such as on I-40, I-25, and I-10. While all motorists are at danger, other truck drivers are particularly at risk when one truck driver fails to yield to their right of way. Our Albuquerque trucking accident lawyers explain how a truck driver failing to yield could result in a catastrophic New Mexico trucking accident.
Dangers of Failing to Yield
The rules of the road say that a driver with the right of way shall go first. All other drivers shall yield to a driver’s right of way. A right of way is the right that a motorist has to go first over other motorists’ rights to go. A right of way is commonly seen at an intersection when a green light comes on and a red light is for the other side; drivers with the red light yield to the right of way of drivers with the green light.
Other examples include an intersection where two roads have stop sides and two roads have no stop sign. Drivers coming from the roads without a stop sign can go first, and drivers with a stop sign must stop and yield for all other vehicles with the right of way to go first. Finally, probably the most common example is making a left turn where all vehicles making a left turn go last. That is because vehicles making a left turn yield to all other vehicles.
New Mexico Law on Failing to Yield
New Mexico law codifies what drivers are supposed to go when it comes to yielding to other vehicles. A violation of a New Mexico law that causes injuries to a person who should have been protected from injuries by the law could result in automatic liability against the truck driver who violated the law. This is known as the doctrine of negligence per se.
Yielding to other traffic is governed by NM Stat. section 66-7-330 which provides that all motorist must follow the yield instructions for yield signs, stop signs, or other traffic control devices as provided under other sections of law, and that “[t]he driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign shall, in obedience to the sign, slow down to a speed reasonable for the existing conditions, and shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the driver is moving across or within the intersection. If the driver is involved in a collision with a vehicle in the intersection, after driving past a yield sign without stopping, the collision shall be deemed prima facie evidence of his failure to yield right-of-way.”
Injured by a Truck Driver Who Did Not Yield? Ask our New Mexico Trucking Accident Lawyers for Help
A violation of this law could result in serious personal injuries. If you or a loved one are seriously injured due to a truck driver who did not yeild, or if a loved one is wrongfully killed, ask our Albuquerque trucking accident lawyers to help you. Call to schedule your FREE appointment with our lawyers at the Caruso Law Offices, P.C. by dialing (505) 883-5000.
We handle causes throughout New Mexico, including Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Roswell, Cuervo, Rio Rancho, Clovis, Farmington, Hobbs, Albuquerque where our office is located, and anywhere else throughout New Mexico. Please call to schedule for FREE appointment by dialing (505) 883-5000 or contact us through our website’s easy to use and convenient contact box available here.
