What Are Common Causes of T-Bone Collisions?

What are common causes of T-bone collisions? The most common cause of T-bone accidents is driver error or negligence, resulting from a driver failing to yield the right-of-way at intersections. 

Discuss your injuries and learn about your rights at a free consultation with an experienced New Orleans t-bone accident lawyer.

Failure to Yield the Right of Way

T-bone accidents, also known as side-impact crashes or broadside collisions, often result from one driver failing to yield the right of way to the other. Traffic laws generally determine which driver has the right of way based on the circumstances and traffic controls involved. 

Every driver should know who is responsible based on their understanding of traffic laws. Some of the most common reasons why people fail to yield the right of way include:

• Distraction: The driver is not paying full attention to road conditions or changing road dynamics due to a distraction. Common distractions include eating and drinking behind the wheel, talking on the phone, texting, emailing, and engaging in conversations with passengers.
• Impatience: In some situations, a driver may fail to yield the right of way because they do not want to wait for their turn. They want to get through the intersection faster and therefore fail to stop fully at a red light or stop sign, or they may run a red light.
• Misjudgment: Failure to yield the right of way can occur when a driver makes a mistake. They did not see how fast the other driver was going, did not realize it, or did not see a stoplight or sign. Even in these situations where it may be an honest mistake, that driver is still responsible for their actions and the resulting outcome.

Failure to yield the right of way often occurs at intersections, with one car entering the intersection before it should, causing the incident. Most commonly, both cars enter the intersection at the same time, with one striking the other. The striking car is not always at fault. Speak with a New Orleans car accident lawyer about your t-bone crash today.

Aggressive and Reckless Driving

Another common cause of T-bone collisions is aggressive driving. Both reckless driving and aggression violate local traffic laws. In these situations, the driver is engaging in illegal activity and recognizes it as such. Examples of aggressive and reckless driving include:

• Speeding through an intersection
• Failing to stop for lights or traffic signals
• Failing to stop fully at a stop sign
• Weaving in and out of traffic
• Overtaking a car in an intersection
• Following a vehicle in front of them too closely
• Moving through the intersection in a dangerous or aggressive manner

Aggressive driving is an intentional act, often fueled by rage. A person is intentionally acting, recognizing the risk to others on the road with them. These types of driving mistakes often end with one vehicle not stopping in time and crashing into the other. T-bone accidents like this often involve third parties not involved in the initial interaction.

Impairment of Driving Skills and Abilities

Another one of the numerous causes of T-bone accidents occurs when a driver fails to follow traffic laws directly as a result of their impairment. When a person uses a substance, that substance changes their thought processes and patterns, often resulting in physical and cognitive impairments that make it difficult to manage changing road conditions and operate their vehicle properly. 

Impairment occurs in various forms, often the result of:

• Use of alcohol before or while driving
• Use of drugs and illicit substances
• Some types of over-the-counter medications can create confusion or limit focus
• Some types of prescription medications that interfere with reaction time

In some ways, fatigue can also be a common component of impairment behind the wheel. Though it is not caused by medication in all cases, a person who is tired and significantly impaired may be unable to make decisions or operate their vehicle in a safe manner.

That can lead to serious failure and the onset of a T-bone accident. Talk to our New Orleans personal injury lawyer about your crash today.

Mechanical Failures

In some situations, accidents like this result from a mechanical failure, meaning the driver may not have been able to stop or avoid entering the intersection safely.

In these situations, the vehicle’s breakdown can lead to confusion or an inability to navigate changing conditions. Some examples include:

• Brake failures
• Transmission-related failures
• Tire blowouts or other tire-related damage
• Signal malfunction allowing more than one party to enter the intersection
• Visibility-related factors, such as a lack of proper lighting at intersections
• Loss of traction on tires, resulting in the inability to stop or navigate the vehicle

In addition to these mechanical errors, weather conditions may have contributed to the accident. In each of these situations, the driver causing the T-bone accident may still be responsible for what occurs, and the losses others face, but third parties may also be included in the legal process of recovering damages. 

These are often more complicated cases, especially when more than one party is responsible for the accident. Our team has decades of combined experience ready to go to work for you.

Seeking Legal Guidance in a T-Bone Accident

A significant number of crashes each year are T-bone accidents, according to NHTSA crash injury research. Many of these accidents cause serious and life-threatening outcomes for victims because of the location of the impact.

If you are in a car accident that involves a T-bone crash, it is imperative that you work closely with a local attorney who can help you prove fault.

At Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers, our car accident lawyers can help you determine why this accident happened, prove negligence, and hold those at fault for your injuries and losses accountable. Contact us today for a free consultation.