You’re approaching an intersection when suddenly, the traffic light goes dark. In that split second of confusion, a serious collision occurs. Traffic signal failures create dangerous situations that can lead to car accidents, leaving victims wondering who’s responsible.
Our car accident lawyers in McAllen, Texas will work to establish whether inadequate maintenance, design flaws, or other factors contributed to your collision.
Although drivers must exercise caution around malfunctioning signals, municipalities and state agencies may bear responsibility when poor maintenance, design flaws, or delayed repairs contribute to crashes. Here is what you need to know.
Traffic Signal Malfunctions and Driver Responsibilities
When a traffic signal malfunctions or loses power in Texas, the law requires drivers to treat the intersection as a four-way stop. You must come to a complete stop and yield the right-of-way according to standard intersection rules. The first vehicle to arrive at the intersection has the right to proceed first, followed by vehicles in the order they arrived. When multiple vehicles arrive simultaneously, the driver on the right has priority.
Despite these rules, malfunctioning signals create confusion. Drivers may not immediately recognize the malfunction, panic, or fail to follow proper procedures. All of these factors can increase the risk of an accident.
Liability for Defective Traffic Control Systems
When traffic signal failures contribute to intersection accidents, multiple parties may share responsibility. Depending on how the accident occurred, you could pursue an insurance claim or lawsuit against any of the following entities:
- Individual Drivers: Other drivers must follow established rules for non-functioning intersections. If another driver fails to treat a dark signal as a four-way stop, runs through the intersection without yielding proper right-of-way, or drives recklessly despite the obvious malfunction, they can be held liable for your injuries and damages.
- Municipal Governments and State Agencies: These entities maintain and operate most traffic signals throughout Texas. If they knew or should have known about signal problems and failed to address them promptly, they may be liable for resulting accidents.
- Maintenance and Contracting Companies: Many government agencies hire private companies to maintain traffic signals. When poor maintenance, inadequate repairs, or installation errors cause malfunctions, these contractors may bear responsibility for accidents that result from their negligent work.
- Utility Companies: Power outages can disable traffic signals, creating dangerous conditions. If utility companies fail to maintain power lines properly or restore service within reasonable timeframes, they might be liable for accidents occurring during extended outages.
- Traffic Signal Equipment Manufacturers: Defective hardware or software can cause signal malfunctions. When manufacturing defects contribute to these accidents, you can pursue compensation from equipment manufacturers.
How Comparative Negligence Affects Traffic Signal Failure Claims
In some cases, you may be partially responsible for the accident. You may have failed to treat the malfunctioning signal as a four-way stop, or you may have been speeding or distracted when approaching the intersection. Texas’s comparative negligence rules will then reduce your compensation based on your percentage of fault, as long as you are no more than 50% responsible for the accident.
Explore Your Next Steps with De La Garza Law Firm
When traffic signals malfunction, determining liability can be a complex process. If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by faulty traffic control equipment, De La Garza Law Firm can investigate all potential sources of compensation. Contact us at (956) 586-5617 to learn how we can help you pursue the full compensation you deserve.
