Unless drivers are careful, they may be liable for damages in an accident caused by a U-turn they made. Though the laws governing U-turns vary by state, this way of changing direction is prohibited under certain circumstances. These sometimes include making a turn at an intersection where there is a traffic light; where a police officer is directing traffic; on a curve; from a middle lane; where the vehicle cannot be seen by another motorist from a distance of 500 feet in either direction; and where a traffic sign prohibits the turn.
Rhode Island U-turn accident lawyer
If you were injured in a u-turn accident in Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,you need to contact a Providence personal injury attorney. A top Providence personal injury attorney will fight the insurance company to get you the compensation you deserve. A Providence personal injury attorney who is also a Providence car accident lawyer will help you get the justice and compensation you are entitled to. U-turn accidents is RI can be complicated and a top personal injury lawyer in RI will help you get the compensation you deserve.
U turn accident statistics
The laws surrounding U-turn accidents and deadly injuries can vary by jurisdiction, so it’s essential to consult with an attorney who specializes in personal injury or traffic law in your specific area for accurate and up-to-date information. However, I can provide you with some general information that may be relevant to such situations:
- Negligence: In many cases, U-turn accidents resulting in deadly injuries involve claims of negligence. Negligence occurs when a driver fails to exercise reasonable care, leading to harm or injury to another person. The driver making the U-turn may be considered negligent if they did not follow traffic laws or failed to yield the right of way.
- Traffic Laws: U-turns are typically regulated by traffic laws and regulations, and these laws can vary from state to state and country to country. It is crucial to understand the specific laws in your jurisdiction regarding U-turns, such as where U-turns are allowed or prohibited, and under what conditions they can be made.
- Right of Way: The driver making a U-turn must yield the right of way to oncoming traffic and other road users. Failing to do so can result in accidents and may lead to legal liability.
- Wrongful Death Claims: If a U-turn accident results in a deadly injury, the surviving family members of the deceased may have the right to file a wrongful death claim. The specifics of wrongful death laws vary, but generally, they allow the family to seek compensation for their loss, including medical expenses, funeral costs, and lost income.
- Criminal Charges: In some cases, if a U-turn accident results in a death, the driver responsible for the accident may face criminal charges such as vehicular manslaughter or reckless driving, depending on the circumstances and the laws in your jurisdiction.
- Insurance: If you are involved in a U-turn accident that results in a deadly injury, the insurance of the at-fault party may come into play. It’s important to contact your insurance company and the other party’s insurance company to initiate a claims process.
- Legal Representation: If you or your family is dealing with a U-turn accident resulting in a deadly injury, it is advisable to consult with a qualified attorney who specializes in personal injury or wrongful death cases. They can help you understand the relevant laws in your jurisdiction, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent your interests in court if necessary.
Remember that legal processes can be complex and may vary based on your location and the specific circumstances of the accident. Seek legal advice and representation to ensure your rights are protected and you receive appropriate compensation in such cases.
In instances where an injured party pursues legal action against the U-turn driver, the case rests on establishing negligence. It’s defined as not acting in a careful manner like a reasonable person would under the circumstances. In some cases, plaintiffs bear some burden for negligence because their actions contributed to the accident.
The article “Liability for U-Turn Collisions” on the Legal Match website explained that there are five components to negligence. Drivers have the responsibility of duty of care, meaning that they should have foreseen that their action could result in injury. The second factor in establishing negligence is breach of duty, which is failing to use due care when knowing others were being put at risk or not acting as a reasonable person would.
Fall River man charged in drunken U-turn and crash on I-95 in Rhode Island
“A Fall River man was arrested and charged with drunken driving after he allegedly made a U-turn on Interstate 95 in Rhode Island early Saturday morning and crashed into an oncoming car as he traveled in the wrong direction, according to Rhode Island State Police. Nathaniel Roberts, 20, was driving on the southbound side of the highway near the Thurbers Avenue curve in Providence when he turned around and began traveling north on the same side around 4:30 a.m. Roberts collided with an oncoming car, sending its driver and passenger to Rhode Island Hospital with injuries described as not life threatening in a statement from State Police. GLOBE
Proximate causation- car accident lawyer in Providence
Negligence could also rest on proving that it was only the driver’s failure to perform the duty of due care that the accident happened. Under proximate cause, the fourth consideration in negligence, the law does not put the driver in jeopardy for every occurrence that resulted from the incident. For instance, a motorist may collide with a truck that he or she did not know was carrying explosives. It explodes and a projectile from the blast injures a pedestrian a mile away. During the emergency surgery, the surgeon commits medical malpractice and amputates the wrong leg. The negligent tortfeasor could not have reasonably foreseen that an accident would lead to emergency surgery and surgical malpractice. Therefore, the negligent motorist could argue that they are not responsible for the negligent physicians’ actions.
Monetary settlement
Being awarded a monetary settlement for that injury could be difficult. Finally, negligence requires that there be physical injury to a person, damage to property or loss of income. On the Nolo website, the article “Car Accidents: Proving Fault” said cases arguing negligence may be strengthened by police reports of the accident and being able to point to state traffic laws that were violated. Victims of U-turn accidents are advised to seek legal advice from a Providence personal injury attorney as soon as possible after the accident. A Providence personal injury lawyer will investigate the facts and strive to build a case that could result in compensation for the client.
“Providence is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, founded in 1636, and one of the oldest cities in the United States.[4] It is located in Providence County and is the third most populous city in the New England region, after Boston and Worcester. Providence has a city population of 179,154; it is also part of the Providence metropolitan area which extends into southern Massachusetts. The Providence metropolitan area has an estimated population of 1,604,291, which exceeds that of Rhode Island as a whole by about 60%.[5] This can be considered, in turn, to be part of the Greater Boston commuting area, which contains 7.6 million people. Providence was founded by Roger Williams, a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of “God’s merciful Providence”, which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers to settle. The city is situated at the mouth of the Providence River, at the head of Narragansett Bay. Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today, the city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning which have shifted the city’s economy into service industries, though it still retains significant manufacturing activity. The city was once nicknamed the “Beehive of Industry”; it began rebranding itself as the “Creative Capital” in 2009 to emphasize its educational resources and arts community.“https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Providence,_Rhode_Island
High accident rates
“In a 1967 study of divided urban and rural highways in North Carolina, Cribbins et al. (11) found that median openings do not necessarily experience high accident rates under conditions of low volumes, wide medians, and light roadside development. However, as traffic volumes and roadside development increase, the frequency of median openings does affect accident potential significantly. Specifically, Cribbins et al. found the following relationships: • As traffic volumes increase, median openings experience a sharp increase in accident frequency. When combined with intensive roadside development, this increase in accident frequency becomes even more pronounced. • Signalization of median openings does not necessarily reduce accident experience under high-volume conditions, but it makes the traffic flow more efficiently by distributing time for each movement. • As roadside development increases, and crossovers of any type are permitted, accidents will increase.” KY GOV
