If an automobile accident occurs when someone is merging, it can be difficult to determine which driver is at fault and financially responsible for injuries and property damage. If you find yourself in this situation, you will need to learn about Texas’s merging laws to hold someone accountable. Make sure to speak with an experienced San Antonio car accident attorney for legal guidance.
What Is a Merging Car Accident?
A merge describes a traffic situation where two lanes of same-direction traffic merge or combine into one lane. Merging is seen most often on highways in Texas, particularly in places where new traffic is entering existing traffic at a highway entrance. Road construction zones or car accident sites may also merge traffic away from the hazardous situation.
A merging car accident describes a motor vehicle collision that takes place when one or both drivers are attempting to merge lanes. These accidents are often the result of one of the drivers failing to yield the right-of-way or complete the merge safely. Driver mistakes while merging can lead to sideswipe accidents, lane-change accidents, no-contact crashes and multivehicle pileups.
How Is a Merge Safely Executed in Texas?
According to Texas Transportation Code § 545.061, “On a roadway divided into three or more lanes and providing for one-way movement of traffic, an operator entering a lane of traffic from a lane to the right shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle entering the same lane of traffic from a lane to the left.”
Under this traffic law, when two lanes merge into one, the merging driver must yield the right-of-way to vehicles that are already in the destination lane. It is the merging driver’s legal responsibility to pay attention to the road, check to ensure that the destination lane is clear, use turn signals to show intent to merge, and slowly and safely complete the maneuver at the correct speed based on surrounding traffic.
Who Is at Fault for a Merging Car Accident in Texas?
Texas’s fault-based car insurance law holds the person or party most at fault for causing a crash accountable for a victim’s losses. Under this law, it is necessary to determine which driver caused the car accident before an insurance claim can be filed.
Common causes of merging car accidents in Texas include:
- Merging without looking
- Failing to check blind spots
- Merging too closely to another vehicle
- Cutting another driver off
- Merging too quickly or too slowly
- Failing to use turn signals
- Weaving in and out of multiple lanes
- Crossing multiple lanes at once
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Driving under the influence
- Aggressive driving or road rage
If a motor vehicle driver does not complete a lane merge safely or correctly, he or she can be held liable for a related crash.
When to Contact a Texas Car Accident Lawyer
An personal injury attorney in San Antonio can help you determine the cause of your merging car accident. An experienced lawyer can investigate your crash, interview eyewitnesses, hire experts and gather evidence of fault. Then, your lawyer can deliver this evidence to an insurance company or present it in court to fight for maximum compensation on your behalf.
For more information about how a lawyer can help you with a merging car accident case, contact Hill Law Firm Accident & Injury Attorneys for a free consultation.