Imagine you’re driving through Colorado Springs on a beautiful morning, maybe on your way to work or just running errands. You see a green light ahead, feeling good because you’ve got the right of way. Then, out of nowhere, another driver blows through their red light or makes a sudden, illegal left turn right into your path. In that instant, everything changes.
Sadly, this isn’t just a hypothetical scenario; it plays out far too often here in Colorado Springs. Accidents where someone fails to yield the right of way are some of the most common – and most dangerous – crashes we see. As someone who’s spent years helping accident victims in our city, I can tell you these incidents are devastating, and what’s even tougher, they’re almost always preventable.
The Reality of Right-of-Way Accidents in Colorado Springs
Let’s look at some numbers for a minute. Roughly 40% of all traffic incidents in Colorado Springs happen right at intersections, and that trend has held steady from 2024 right into 2025. Think about that for a second: nearly half of all accidents happen in the very spots where traffic rules are supposed to guide us and keep us safe.
What’s even more heartbreaking is how these accidents impact our most vulnerable road users. For example, over 40% of fatal motorcycle crashes in El Paso County in early 2025 happened at intersections. Pedestrians and cyclists also get hit harder, especially during our busy summer months when everyone’s out enjoying Colorado’s gorgeous weather.
Here at McCormick & Murphy P.C., we’ve been helping folks with these kinds of cases since 1995. We’ve seen firsthand how quickly these accidents can flip someone’s life upside down. With more than 60 years of combined legal experience, we’ve helped recover millions of dollars for our Colorado clients, many of whom were hurt in these exact types of failure-to-yield crashes.
What Exactly Is a Failure to Yield Accident?
Before we go any further, let’s make sure we’re clear on what a “failure to yield” accident really means. Simply put, these crashes happen when a driver doesn’t give the right of way to another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist who legally has it. It’s essentially someone cutting you off when they shouldn’t.
Here are some common situations I see all the time:
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Making illegal left turns without yielding to oncoming traffic
- Failing to yield when merging onto highways or changing lanes
- Not stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks
- Ignoring yield signs at roundabouts or highway on-ramps
- Pulling out of parking lots or driveways without checking for traffic
What’s truly frustrating about these accidents is that they’re almost always preventable. We’re not talking about some freak mechanical failure or an unavoidable force of nature. These crashes typically happen because someone made a conscious choice to ignore traffic laws, or simply wasn’t paying enough attention.
Why These Accidents Are So Dangerous
Failure-to-yield accidents usually end up being pretty serious, and there are a few key reasons why. First off, they often happen at intersections where cars are coming from multiple directions. This means vehicles are often moving at higher speeds when they hit, unlike, say, a rear-end collision where one car might be stopped or slowing down.
Second, these crashes frequently result in side-impact collisions, often called “T-bone” accidents. Think about it: your car’s sides offer way less protection than the front or back. That makes these crashes incredibly dangerous for everyone inside. The driver and passengers on the side that gets hit are at a huge risk for severe, traumatic injuries.
I’ve personally seen clients dealing with:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Multiple bone fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Severe cuts and bruising
- Psychological trauma and PTSD
And for motorcyclists, pedestrians, and cyclists? The risks are even scarier. Without the protection of a car’s frame, these road users can suffer life-altering or even fatal injuries, even in collisions that seem relatively low-speed.
Colorado Springs’ Most Dangerous Intersections
While failure-to-yield accidents can honestly happen anywhere, some intersections in Colorado Springs have definitely earned a reputation as dangerous hotspots. Powers and Woodmen Road, for instance, pretty consistently ranks as one of our highest-risk intersections. We often see high crash rates there due to things like speeding, visibility problems, and sometimes even tricky traffic signal timing.
Other intersections that frequently see right-of-way violations include:
- Academy Boulevard and Austin Bluffs Parkway
- North Nevada Avenue and Fillmore Street
- Platte Avenue and Circle Drive
- Union Boulevard and Fountain Boulevard
If you find yourself driving through these areas regularly, I can’t stress enough how important it is to be extra cautious. Even when you have a green light or the clear right of way, it’s always a smart move to take a second look before you go through these intersections.
What Causes Drivers to Fail to Yield?
Knowing why these accidents happen can really help us try to prevent them. From my years of handling these cases, I’ve noticed a few common themes:
Distracted Driving
This is probably the biggest offender out there. Drivers who are glued to their phones (texting, talking), messing with their GPS, or even just completely lost in thought often miss traffic signals or simply don’t see other vehicles that have the right of way. In today’s digital world, distracted driving is unfortunately rampant.
Impairment
Alcohol or drug impairment plays a part in about 20% of intersection crashes in our area. Impaired drivers just can’t react as quickly and their judgment is off, making them far more likely to ignore right-of-way rules.
Aggressive Driving
Some drivers just can’t stand to wait. They’ll zip through red lights, make illegal turns, or try to muscle their way into traffic because they’re impatient or running behind. This kind of aggressive behavior puts everyone around them in danger.
Inexperience
Younger or less experienced drivers might not fully grasp all the right-of-way rules, or they might panic when traffic gets complicated. We often see crash rates jump during the “100 Deadliest Days” of summer, especially among our younger drivers.
Poor Road Conditions
Sometimes, the road itself contributes to the problem. Things like unclear signs, bad visibility because of overgrown landscaping or buildings, or poorly timed traffic lights can all lead to confusion and, ultimately, accidents.
The Legal Challenges You’ll Face
If you’ve been hurt in a failure-to-yield accident, you’re likely dealing with a lot more than just getting your body back to normal. The legal and insurance side of these cases can be surprisingly tricky and, frankly, pretty frustrating.
Determining Fault
Even though it might seem crystal clear that the driver who didn’t yield is at fault, insurance companies often see things differently. They’re always on the lookout for ways to shift blame or reduce how much they have to pay. They might try to say you were speeding, or that bad visibility played a role, or even that the road conditions were to blame.
This is exactly why having experienced legal help is so important. The attorneys at McCormick & Murphy P.C. know how to dig deep into these accidents, gather the evidence, and build solid cases that hold careless drivers responsible.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Insurance adjusters are trained to pay out as little as possible, and they can be especially tough when it comes to failure-to-yield cases. They might even offer you a quick settlement that sounds okay but really won’t cover all your actual costs. Just remember, once you accept a settlement, that’s usually it – you can’t go back and ask for more money down the road.
Proving Your Damages
These kinds of accidents often lead to serious injuries that need a lot of medical care. You’ll need to keep track of not just your immediate medical bills, but also any future treatments you might need, lost income, how your ability to earn money might be affected, and your pain and suffering. This all requires careful record-keeping and often needs input from medical experts.
What to Do After a Failure to Yield Accident
If you ever find yourself in one of these awful situations, here’s a quick guide on what you should do to protect your health and your rights:
Right at the Scene
- Call 911 right away, even if injuries seem minor. It’s always better to be safe.
- Get medical help for anyone who needs it, immediately.
- Document everything you can! Take lots of photos and notes of the scene, vehicle damage, and any visible injuries.
- Get contact information from any witnesses – their perspective can be really important.
- Do NOT admit fault or discuss the accident details with the other driver. Stick to exchanging insurance and contact info.
- Make sure you get a copy of the police report number, or the report itself if possible.
After You Leave the Scene
- Go see a doctor, even if you feel okay. Some serious injuries don’t show symptoms right away, and getting checked out quickly creates important medical records.
- Keep super detailed records of all your medical treatment, appointments, and expenses.
- Write down how your injuries are affecting your daily life – things you can’t do anymore, pain levels, etc.
- Don’t give recorded statements to insurance companies without talking to a lawyer first. They’re not on your side.
- Contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as you can.
How Colorado Law Handles Right-of-Way Violations
Here in Colorado, we don’t mess around when it comes to right-of-way violations. Under our state laws (Colorado Revised Statutes), drivers who fail to yield can face both criminal charges and civil lawsuits. In fact, El Paso County, where Colorado Springs is, is one of the counties with the highest number of tickets given out for failing to yield or ignoring traffic signals.
When it comes to civil cases (like personal injury claims), Colorado uses what’s called a “modified comparative negligence” rule. What that means in plain English is: if you’re found to be partly at fault for the accident, any compensation you get will be reduced by your percentage of fault. And here’s the kicker – if you’re found to be more than 50% at fault, you won’t be able to recover any damages at all.
This rule is exactly why having a smart, experienced legal team on your side is so important. Insurance companies are experts at trying to pin as much blame on you as they can to avoid paying out.
Protecting Yourself on Colorado Springs Roads
Okay, so you can’t exactly control what other drivers do, but you can take some solid steps to lower your risk of getting caught in a failure-to-yield accident:
Defensive Driving Strategies
- Always, always look both ways before you go through an intersection, even if you have a green light. Don’t assume.
- Make eye contact with other drivers if you can, just to make sure they’ve seen you.
- Leave plenty of space between your car and the one in front of you.
- Be extra, extra careful at those intersections known for being dangerous (like the ones we mentioned earlier).
- Try to avoid driving during peak high-risk times, like rush hour or late weekend evenings, if you can.
For Our Vulnerable Road Users
If you’re on a motorcycle, bicycle, or often walk around town, you need to be even more on guard:
- Wear bright, reflective clothing, especially if it’s getting dark or foggy.
- Use lights and reflectors. This isn’t just for night; it helps during dawn and dusk too.
- Never, ever assume drivers see you. Always act as if they haven’t.
- Make sure you’re following all traffic laws too.
- Stay super alert for distracted or impaired drivers – they’re less likely to see you.
The Financial Impact of These Accidents
The financial fallout from failure-to-yield accidents can be absolutely enormous. Just the medical bills for serious injuries can easily climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. And when you add in lost income, damage to your vehicle, and any long-term care you might need, the financial hit can be truly crushing.
That’s exactly why it’s so important to make sure you get fair compensation for your injuries. Insurance companies are well aware that many people don’t fully grasp the true cost of their damages, and they’ll often try to rush you into a quick settlement that’s far less than what your case is actually worth.
Here at McCormick & Murphy P.C., we’ve helped our clients recover millions of dollars over the years. We know how to properly assess these cases and fight hard to get our clients the compensation they truly deserve. Feel free to check out our professional profile to read what other clients have said about working with us.
Looking Ahead: Trends for 2025
As we continue through 2025, a few trends are really influencing how we think about failure-to-yield accidents here in Colorado Springs. Technology, for example, is playing a bigger and bigger role – both in causing accidents (hello, distracted driving!) and, thankfully, in helping prevent them (with advanced safety features in newer cars).
We’re also seeing more attention paid to improving our city’s roads and intersections to cut down on these crashes. The city is working on things like smarter traffic light timing, clearer signage, and even redesigning intersections to make them safer for everyone.
That said, enforcing these rules is still a tough job. While police are definitely writing more tickets for right-of-way violations, there are just too many intersections and not enough officers to keep an eye on them all the time.
When You Need Professional Help
If you’ve been injured in a failure-to-yield accident, please don’t try to tackle the legal stuff on your own. These cases are often much more complicated than they appear, and remember, insurance companies have whole teams of lawyers whose job it is to pay out as little as possible.
The experienced attorneys here at McCormick & Murphy P.C. have been dedicated to helping Colorado Springs accident victims since 1995. We really understand the local court system, we know all the insurance companies’ tricks, and we have the resources to fully investigate your case and build a strong claim.
Our office is easy to get to at 929 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80905, and we’re happy to offer free consultations to talk about your situation. You can reach us directly at (719)-389-0400 or shoot an email to [email protected].
We work on what’s called a “contingency fee basis,” which simply means you won’t pay us any attorney fees unless we actually win your case and recover money for you. This way, you can focus all your energy on getting better while we handle the legal battle.
Final Thoughts
Failure-to-yield right-of-way accidents are a really serious issue here in Colorado Springs, but getting caught in one doesn’t have to completely derail your life. With the right medical care, good legal help, and enough time, you absolutely can recover from these traumatic experiences.
Always remember, you have rights as an accident victim, and you truly deserve fair compensation for your injuries. Don’t let insurance companies try to take advantage of you when you’re already going through such a tough time. Reach out to experienced professionals who can walk you through the whole process and fight hard for the compensation you’re owed.
If you’ve got any questions at all about a failure-to-yield accident or any other personal injury situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here and ready to help Colorado Springs residents get the justice they deserve.
Stay safe out there on the roads, and always remember – even when you have the right of way, it’s always better to arrive safely than to be right.
