Rochester, New York, Car Accident Lawyers: Passing In No-Passing Zones

Jed Dietrich, Esq., is a Renowned Rochester Personal Injury Attorney Who Has Been Recognized as a New York Super Lawyer. If Another Person’s Negligent Attempt to Pass You in a No-Passing Zone Caused Your Car Accident Injuries, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Secure the Compensation You Need and the Justice You Deserve.

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Road signs, signals, and markings sometimes seem like an inconvenience, especially when we are on the way to work or running late for an appointment. Almost everyone knows the feeling: you are in a rush—perhaps trying to make a last-minute meeting at the Kodak Building or traveling for an urgent health screening at the University of Rochester Medical Center—but another driver is going five, ten, or even fifteen miles per hour below the speed limit. You want to pass, but the solid, painted line on the road says that you should wait longer.

Waiting might test our patience, but it is the right thing to do. Unfortunately, not everyone feels so constrained by the rules of the road. Motorists who try to pass other vehicles in marked no-passing zones endanger not only themselves but everybody around them. Since passing accidents often happen at high speeds, these crashes can have catastrophic consequences—especially for victims, who may have had little, if any, time to prepare themselves for impact. The costs of recovery can be immense, thrusting even financially stable individuals to the brink of financial ruin.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. firmly believes that nobody should have to bear the burden of another motorist’s mistake. If you, or a loved one, have been injured due to someone passing in a no-passing zone, you could be entitled to significant compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has the experience and resources needed to construct a compelling, evidence-based claim for recompense. Please send us a message online or call us at (585) 939-3939 to schedule your no-cost consultation and discuss your options for legal relief.

No-Passing Zone Collisions

Compared to other types of accidents, no-passing zone collisions are relatively uncommon. However, they still occur and upend the lives of victims, sometimes irreversibly. The most common types of passing in no-passing zone collisions include:

1. Sideswipe Accidents: A sideswipe crash occurs when a driver attempts to merge into a lane that is already occupied by another automobile.
2. Run-Off-Road Crashes: A run-off-road crash is defined as an accident in which the vehicle departs the roadway. Passing accidents routinely result in run-off-road accidents since one or both of the involved motorists may try to avert the impending collision by steering away from the oncoming vehicle.
3. Rear-End Accidents: If the passing driver realizes they do not have enough room to complete the maneuver, they might rear-end the vehicle in front of them while trying to re-enter traffic.
4. Head-On Collisions: A head-on collision occurs when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide with one another. While head-on crashes account for only 2% of automobile accidents annually, they are responsible for an estimated 10% of all car crash-related fatalities.
5. Blind-Spot Sideswipe Crashes: Since most motorists respect the rules of the road, they may not anticipate another vehicle trying to enter their lane from the left in a no-passing zone. A blind-spot sideswipe crash could happen if a law-abiding driver attempts to merge into the roadway or switch lanes only to be struck by a vehicle that had been illegally passing other automobiles.

New York State Passing Laws

Almost every city in the United States has marked no-passing zones, with Rochester being no exception. From Main Street to University Avenue, the Flower City instructs motorists not to overtake slow-moving traffic in areas where there is limited visibility or high pedestrian traffic. In Rochester and across the Empire State, New York law forbids passing on the left when:

1. Your lane has a solid yellow center line;
2. You cannot safely return to your lane before you reach a solid yellow center line;
3. You cannot safely return to your lane before any oncoming vehicle comes within 200 feet of you;
4. You are on a two-way roadway and approach a curve, or the top of a hill, with obstructed visibility;
5. You are on a two-way roadway and within 100 feet of a railway crossing;
6. You are on a two-way roadway and within 100 feet of a bridge, tunnel, or viaduct with obstructed visibility; or
7. You cannot pass without interfering with oncoming traffic.

New York only permits passing on the right if:

1. The vehicle ahead of you is initiating a left turn;
2. You are on a two-way road that is marked for two or more lanes, and there is sufficient room to pass; or
3. You are driving on a one-way road that is marked for two or more lanes, and there is sufficient room to pass.

Jed Dietrich, Esq., is committed to providing car crash victims in and around Rochester with the highest level of personal injury service. Since founding the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. in 2005, Jed Dietrich, Esq., has helped his clients secure more than $175 million in compensation—money they have used to pay down their medical debt, afford high-quality care, and begin the difficult process of reclaiming their independence after tragic automobile accidents. Please send the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. a message online or call us at (585) 939-3939 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at (585) 939-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Rochester, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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