It happens all too often; you may be traveling in your vehicle and obeying all the road rules when someone else runs a stop sign or a traffic light and plows into your vehicle. Sadly, others who fail to stop at stop signs cause Orange County car crashes, often producing serious injuries for innocent motorists.
When drivers do not follow road rules, traffic lights, and stop signs, dangerous consequences could occur to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists. Injuries could include traumatic brain injury, head trauma, back and neck injuries, spinal cord injury, a herniated disc, nerve damage, internal injuries, and more. Sometimes, these types of crashes can be severe enough to lead to a victim’s death.
How Can These Stop Sign Crashes STOP?
One of the biggest causes of stop sign crashes in Orange County is drivers not being able to see the stop signs. This may be for several reasons, including the city’s failure to cut bushes and trees back. When trees hide the stop sign, it is virtually impossible for a driver to see the road sign, especially if the ground markings at the intersection have been worn off.
Another reason stop sign crashes occur is distracted driving at the wheel. When drivers are participating in texting while driving, eating and drinking, grooming, selecting mp3 songs, or playing with their GPS system, they may not be looking for stop signs. This distraction and a driver’s own negligence can cause them to not see stop signs.
Who is Liable for Injuries After a Stop Sign Accident?
There may be multiple parties responsible after a Mission Viejo crash at a stop sign. Just as the two examples above show, an Orange County city or a landowner may be liable for not keeping up with the maintenance of the trees and bushes that might have hidden the stop sign.
Also, there are ways to prove that the driver who ran the stop sign was distracted. For example, phone records can be pulled to determine if the driver was texting or talking on their cell phone. Aditionally, sometimes passengers in their vehicles or witnesses at the scene will tell authorities what the driver was doing at the time of the crash.
If you were hit by a vehicle that failed to stop at a stop sign, please call an experienced Mission Viejo personal injury lawyer today at the Law Offices of John P. Burns at (877)320-1338.
You can also request a FREE copy of John Burns’ book: 9 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your California Vehicle Accident Case.