Your senses may already go on higher alertness as you carefully approach a major road intersection. However, you may be befuddled with how to proceed if the traffic signal that is supposed to direct your actions is flickering or completely shut off. Or, if upon further observation of the movement from other points of the intersection, you suspect it is giving you the wrong signal. Unfortunately, when traffic signals malfunction like this, innocent drivers are more vulnerable to entering an auto accident. That said, please continue reading to learn how a faulty traffic signal can cause an accident and how an experienced Morris County, New Jersey auto accident lawyer at Macri Law Firm can help you sue the appropriate, at-fault party if it comes down to this.
How might a faulty traffic signal cause an auto accident?
When encountering a faulty traffic signal, drivers at all points of the intersection may try to work together and be courteous in giving each other opportunities to cross over. However, with how much confusion this situation causes, and the potential presence of negligent drivers who misread the situation, auto accidents are still likely. Examples of how this might come about are as follows:
- If a light is stuck on the green, a driver may enter an intersection while other directions of traffic are still flowing.
- If a light is flickering yellow, a driver may grow aggravated and try to take advantage and rush through the intersection.
- If a light is turned off, a pedestrian may try to cross the intersection when there is a brief hesitation by present drivers.
Who can I sue for the faulty signal that caused my accident?
You may know with certainty that if a faulty traffic signal did not exist, you would not have been made the victim of an auto accident. However, you may be unsure who is responsible for the faulty signal’s presence in the first place. In other words, you may be unsure who to file your personal injury claim against.
Well, there is no single, simple answer to this. Rather, you may have to dig up background information about this particular traffic signal. With this, the list of potential at-fault parties reads as follows:
- A utility company may be at fault if it fails to stop a preventable power outage that turns off the traffic signal.
- A city or municipal entity may be at fault if they fail to install necessary backup power systems in case of a traffic signal malfunction.
- A contractor hired by a city or municipal entity may be at fault if they fail to repair known issues with the traffic signal on time.
- Another driver may be at fault if they drive erratically and fail to abide by right-of-way procedures when encountering a defective traffic signal.
If you require legal representation, look no further than a skilled Morris County, New Jersey auto accident lawyer. The client testimonials on our website speak for themselves, saying that you will not regret hiring the team at Macri Law Group.
