An 81-year-old man died in a collision between a sedan and a truck on Clark Road and Catamaran Drive in Sarasota. The man was driving a sedan westbound on State Road 72 in the left lane, while a truck towing a trailer with heavy equipment was eastbound in the left lane. The sedan failed to yield while making a left turn, and the truck, in an attempt to avoid the collision, swerved to the right and collided with the sedan. The sedan overturned. The 81-year-old driver of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the truck sustained minor injuries.

Understanding failure to yield accidents

A failure to yield accident occurs when a driver fails to yield the right-of-way to another road user who has the legal entitlement to proceed. These accidents often happen at intersections, crosswalks and merging lanes, where clear rules dictate who has priority.

Common causes of these accidents include:

• Inattention or distraction: Driver distractions, such as texting, eating or adjusting the radio, can lead to missing crucial yield signs or signals.
• Misjudgment: Drivers might miscalculate the distance or speed of oncoming vehicles, leading to a failure to yield.
• Aggressive driving: Aggressive or impatient drivers may disregard yield signs or attempt to beat traffic at intersections, leading to accidents.
• Lack of understanding: Inexperienced drivers or those unfamiliar with specific traffic rules might not fully comprehend right-of-way principles.
• Weather conditions: Poor visibility due to rain, fog, or snow can make it harder to assess the traffic situation accurately.

Negligence in failure to yield accidents refers to the failure of a driver to exercise reasonable care and caution in situations where they were required to yield the right-of-way to another road user. Proving negligence involves demonstrating that the driver breached their duty of care (to exercise caution and follow the laws), and that this breach directly caused the accident and subsequent damages.

If you’ve been injured in a failure to yield accident, contact a knowledgeable Sarasota, FL accident attorney at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh right away.