GF got into a fender bender

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Ns1

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
Cliffs:
GF ruled not at fault, other driver at fault
She gets her car fixed, might have to pay for rental car but that?s it
Other guy leaves insurance adjuster nasty messages


Short story of the long story
The other guy?s official statement was that he had a solid green. GF?s official statement was that it was a late yellow turning into a red. Witness corroborated GF?s statement.

Since there were inconsistencies in the story and the guy?s story did not match my GF?s or the witness, the insurance company sided with my GF and ruled the other driver at fault.

Win!

OP
Usual who's at fault deal

Non-protected left turn. GF was waiting to make left. Light turns yellow. GF attempts to make turn, guy going straight attempts to beat light. Cars collide; seems like a minor fender bender since the only thing that?s really destroyed is the entire driver side headlight housing. Evidently her driver side front hit the other driver side front.

Pics later when I get home from work.

//edit, this is in CA
 
Brainonska511

Brainonska511

Lifer
Dec 10, 2005
28,916
14,191
136
Probably more her fault, as she would still not have the right of way until the light turns red and she is still in the intersection. She had a responsibility to make sure the other driver was going to slow down and not try and beat the light.

Depending on where the other driver was when the light first turned yellow, you could potentially make an argument for failure to yield to a traffic control device - if he was far enough away to come to a safe stop, which should have been the case if he was going the speed limit and the light turned yellow, then he could potentially be the party at fault.
 
B

bobdole369

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2004
4,504
2
0
Depends on the state. I know there are states that issue tickets if caught in the intersection when the light turned to yellow, then red.

In Florida the left turning driver should yield to the driver going straight.
 
J

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
91
Unless you can prove he ran through a solid red, I'd say she's at fault. You have to yield to all traffic until it is clear to make the turn.
 
R

rezinn

Platinum Member
Mar 30, 2004
2,418
0
0
Sounds like they both went through the yellow so she should have yielded. Also from the damage, it sounds like she just barely hit him, meaning either he was farther through the intersection than she was through her turn, or he was going extremely fast or her extremely slow. I'd predict she is 70-80% at fault.
 
S

skim milk

Diamond Member
Apr 8, 2003
5,784
1
0
yeah, in los angeles, people depend on that yellow light to make a left turn since there's no left turn traffic light in certain areas
hopefully it's the other guys fault. People who are familiar with L.A. driving know to stop as soon as yellow is shown. It's like an unwritten rule
 
S

SupaDupaPan

Golden Member
Jun 1, 2004
1,071
0
76
Most likely she is at fault. I witnessed a similar accident, and the police officer gave the lady a ticket even though the guy blew through the light. (On a kind of off topic matter, he also had a suspended license and was on parole, and was driving his gf's car without any insurance.)
 
shocksyde

shocksyde

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2001
5,539
0
0
Sounds like it's her fault. She's gotta make sure the intersection is clear before she goes ahead. This is why I hate waiting in interesections during green lights and then having to go after it's turned yellow. I'm always afraid someone is going to burn through the red and demolish my ass.
 
R

rezinn

Platinum Member
Mar 30, 2004
2,418
0
0
Originally posted by: shocksyde
Sounds like it's her fault. She's gotta make sure the intersection is clear before she goes ahead. This is why I hate waiting in interesections during green lights and then having to go after it's turned yellow. I'm always afraid someone is going to burn through the red and demolish my ass.
Click to expand...

Wait and run the red. That's what everyone else does and I have yet to see a cop pull anyone over for it.
 
D

DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
From an insurance standpoint, unless the light was red (and there is a police report at minimum to back that up) your gf is at fault.

Traveling straight has right of way vs a vehicle turning.

That is countrywide *generalization* though, and due to local/state laws and the police report it could change. I wouldn't expect it to be "his" fault at all though, and the best she could hope for is 50/50 (where each insurance co takes care of their policy holder).
 
rh71

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
You mean people make left turns while in the left turn lane? G'damn... idiots down here on this block can't even read the arrow pointing right - they make lefts on it when they have their own left turn arrow lane... and block the right-turners. IDIOTS. I wish to ring their necks, each one of them.
 
Newbian

Newbian

Lifer
Aug 24, 2008
24,779
882
126
Originally posted by: rezinn
Originally posted by: shocksyde
Sounds like it's her fault. She's gotta make sure the intersection is clear before she goes ahead. This is why I hate waiting in interesections during green lights and then having to go after it's turned yellow. I'm always afraid someone is going to burn through the red and demolish my ass.
Click to expand...

Wait and run the red. That's what everyone else does and I have yet to see a cop pull anyone over for it.
Click to expand...

They have red light cameras for a reason.
 
Legendary

Legendary

Diamond Member
Jan 22, 2002
7,019
1
0
Originally posted by: Newbian
Originally posted by: rezinn
Originally posted by: shocksyde
Sounds like it's her fault. She's gotta make sure the intersection is clear before she goes ahead. This is why I hate waiting in interesections during green lights and then having to go after it's turned yellow. I'm always afraid someone is going to burn through the red and demolish my ass.
Click to expand...

Wait and run the red. That's what everyone else does and I have yet to see a cop pull anyone over for it.
Click to expand...

They have red light cameras for a reason.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure red light violations are entering the intersection after the red, not if you're already there waiting for a turn.
 
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