States have the assumed right to mandate some of their own specific traffic laws. Most states agree on the most common ones, but penalties can also differ. Yielding is a common gray area in several states, and for most drivers. Yielding also refers to right of way and uses the basic principles of logic, courtesy, and safety.
These basic principles are difficult to follow during midday traffic and on congested highways. Instead, drivers rely on assertiveness to get where they need to be. Assertiveness risks a ticket or worse, an auto collision in Dallas. Texas has failed to yield laws in place with the intent to reduce these risks.
What Are Texas Yield Laws?
As soon as a driver is allowed their license, common yield sites and rules are explained. For example, if you are at a green light turning left, you are required to yield to oncoming traffic going straight. This means permitting other traffic to go first. Texas Transportation Code 545.153 specifically applies to entering a stop or yield intersection.
- Section 544.003 states that preferential right-of-way at an intersection is indicated by a stop sign or yield sign.
- Section 544.010 defies that unless otherwise directed by a police officer or traffic controlled device, drivers will yield the right-of-way to a vehicle that has entered the intersection from another highway or that is closely approaching making it an immediate hazard to the operator's movement in or across the intersection.
- If a yield sign is present drivers must slow to a reasonable speed and yield to a vehicle that has entered the vehicle from another highway or that is approaching so closely as to become a hazard.
- If a driver is required to yield and is involved in a collision with a vehicle in an intersection after the driver drove past a yield sign without stopping, the collision is considered evidence that the driver failed to yield the right-of-way.
If under any of these circumstances, a collision does not occur, a police office may still write the driver a ticket when failing to yield as required to do so. Penalties will also be charged when the driver’s failure to lead is the direct cause of a traffic collision.
What Are the Penalties for Failure to Yield?
For your safety and the safety of others, it is important to follow yielding laws and requirements. Your legal record is also cause for concern. If declared under trial that you are responsible for the offense, failure to yield in Texas is punishable by fines, points on your license, and could affect your insurance rate.
- The offense is punishable by fines no less than $500 and up to $2,000, if the other driver received bodily injury.
- The offense is punishable by fines no less than $1,000 and up to $4,000, if the other driver received a serious bodily injury.
Depending on the offense, you may also receive points on your license and your insurance company could choose to increase your rates. If you feel you are not responsible, or failure to lead was not broken, a lawyer can help you defend your case.
Why You Need Legal Help
Failure to lead can be a serious moving violation, but yielding by nature can be considered a complex area to define. An experienced accident attorney could help you support possible defenses such as, the police officer record of events was incorrect, the other driver’s record of events was incorrect, or you did in fact have the right of way. With serious fines and increased insurance rates applicable, having a lawyer to defend your case can decrease lifelong consequences. Contact a Dallas personal injury attorney today.