Red Light Accidents In Oklahoma City

Navigating busy intersections in a growing city like Oklahoma City can be dangerous, especially when drivers ignore the rules of the road. Intersections with traffic signals are meant to keep everyone safe, but when motorists speed through a red light or fail to yield, devastating collisions often follow.

Unfortunately, despite traffic signal guidance, intersections remain one of the most common locations for traffic accidents in Oklahoma City. If you were injured by a negligent driver who ran a red light, an experienced Oklahoma City car accident lawyer at Dan Davis Law can help you seek full compensation for your injuries and losses. Call us today at (405) 930-4210 to schedule a free consultation.

What Causes Accidents at Red Lights In Oklahoma City?

Red Light Accidents In Oklahoma City

 

Oklahoma City is a bustling urban center with over 12,000 intersections controlled by traffic signals, designed to manage the heavy volume of vehicles and keep drivers safe. Under Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 47, § 11-202 (2024), a solid or flashing red light requires drivers to make a complete stop and proceed only when it’s safe and lawful to do so. Right turns at red lights are permitted unless prohibited by signage, and yellow lights serve as a warning that the signal is about to turn red.

Despite these traffic control measures, intersections remain among the most common locations for serious crashes. Drivers approaching intersections must stay alert and obey all signals, yet many accidents occur when motorists act negligently or recklessly. Common causes of red light car accidents in Oklahoma City include:

  • Speeding: When a driver exceeds the speed limit, they require longer stopping distances. A speeding driver may not be able to stop in time to come to a complete halt before entering the intersection.
  • Distracted driving: A driver who is using a phone to text or for other purposes while driving, or is otherwise distracted, may accidentally drive through a light after it turns red, colliding with a vehicle already in the intersection.
  • Intentionally running a red light: Some drivers intentionally run through red lights, trying to beat oncoming traffic. Sadly, this egregious negligence often results in deadly car accidents.
  • Tailgating (following too closely): When a driver follows another vehicle too closely and the front vehicle stops at an intersection, the tailgating driver may bump into the car ahead when it stops. Rear-end collisions at red lights sometimes push the front vehicle into the intersection, where a secondary collision may occur with a car crossing the intersection.

What Types of Red Light Accidents Happen In Oklahoma City?

The most common types of accidents at signaled and unsignaled intersections in Oklahoma include the following:

When a red light vehicle accident occurs, the driver who failed to yield the right of way at the traffic signal is liable for damages to injury victims under Oklahoma’s fault-based insurance laws.

Proving Liability In a Red Light Vehicle Accident Claim In Oklahoma City

It often takes an investigation to prove who was at fault in a red light accident. Police officers, insurance investigators, and car accident attorneys in OKC investigate the accident by interviewing eyewitnesses, examining footage from traffic cameras, nearby security cameras, or dashcam video images. They may also consult with accident reconstruction experts. A driver who did not stop at a red light typically bears liability for the accident. Less commonly, a city road maintenance agency may be liable if it failed to properly maintain a traffic signal and the light malfunctioned. Proving liability requires gathering evidence demonstrating the following:

  • The at-fault party owed a duty of reasonable care to the accident victim
  • They violated that duty of care through negligence
  • Their violation of the duty of care directly caused the accident and injuries
  • The injury victim suffered damages from the injury

Damages in Oklahoma City red light accidents commonly include property damage, medical expenses, future medical expenses, lost earnings, and compensation for pain and suffering.

How Can a Car Accident Attorney in Oklahoma City Help?

Insurance companies often protect their profits by assigning an undue portion of fault to injury victims or shifting liability to the injury victim to avoid paying out large claims. Contact our team of Oklahoma City car accident lawyers at Dan Davis Law for assertive legal representation to safeguard your rights after a red light car accident in OKC.