Right-of-Way Laws in Kansas

One of the most important aspects of safe driving is understanding the concept of the right of way. Right of way is addressed in several Kansas traffic laws and is often used as a way to determine who is at fault in the event of an accident. Right-of-way laws in Kansas are similar to right-of-way laws in other states. Unfortunately, many drivers either don’t respect these laws or don’t understand them. By familiarizing yourself with the right-of-way laws in Kansas, you can reduce your chances of getting into a car accident or getting traffic tickets.

What Is the Right of Way?

The simplest way to think of the concept of right of way is that it outlines the cases in which you, as a driver, must yield to others. There are a variety of instances in which you are obligated to yield the right of way. Ultimately, all drivers (as well as bikers and pedestrians) must follow the right-of-way laws, because failing to do so will often lead to traffic accidents.

Right-of-Way Laws in Kansas

In the state of Kansas, right-of-way rules cover numerous situations you’re likely to encounter as a driver. Failing to follow the right-of-way regulations in Kansas can result in a traffic fine upwards of $195, with multiple violations potentially causing you to have your driver’s license suspended.

For Kansas drivers, the following laws apply to the right of way:

Intersections

• You must give the right of way to any vehicle already in an intersection you are approaching.
• If an intersection has no signs or traffic lights, the vehicle on the right will have the right of way.
• If you are making a left turn, you must give the right of way to vehicles driving straight through the intersection.
• When entering a public road from a private road, alley, or driveway, yield the right of way to drivers on the public road.
• In situations in which you are aware that another driver is failing to adhere to the right-of-way laws, you are obligated to yield to avoid an accident.

Pedestrians

• When approaching a crosswalk (marked or unmarked), you must always allow pedestrians to cross (your car should stop behind the painted line).
• Even if a pedestrian is illegally crossing a street (jaywalking or crossing against the light), you are still obligated to yield the right of way in the interest of safety.

Maintenance and Emergency Vehicles

• You must always yield the right of way to emergency vehicles if they have their sirens, lights, or air horns on.
• You must always yield to maintenance and construction workers and vehicles.

These aren’t the only right-of-way laws that apply to drivers, but they are some of the laws that will most likely affect you. As a good rule of thumb, if you have any doubt about who has the right of way in a situation, it is safer to yield to the other driver than to assume that you have the right of way.

Were you or a loved one seriously injured due to another driver violating right-of-way laws in Kansas? State law may allow you to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. Contact Palmer Law Group at (785) 233-1836 to schedule a free consultation with our experienced legal team.

Consequences for Violating Right-of-Way Laws in Kansas

If you violate the right-of-way laws in Kansas and a police officer witnesses your violation, you are likely to get pulled over and be given a traffic citation. While traffic citations may not seem like the worst penalty, the costs can become meaningful, especially if you get enough traffic citations to lose your license. Furthermore, many insurance companies will raise your premiums when you are ticketed for violating right-of-way laws. That initial $195 fine could cost you several thousand dollars over a few years, depending on the way your insurance company calculates premiums and penalties based on traffic citations.

Additionally, if you violate right-of-way laws and get into an accident, you will likely be found at fault in the accident. You might think this isn’t a significant consequence because Kansas is a no-fault state. However, the conditions for taking tort action in Kansas are very low. You must have required medical treatment worth at least $2,000 and have suffered one of the following injuries:

• Permanent disfigurement
• Fracture of a weight-bearing bone
• Compound, comminuted, displaced, or compressed fracture
• Loss of a body part
• Permanent loss of bodily function
• Permanent injury.

Given the costs of medical treatment today, meeting the $2,000 threshold is practically assured. Furthermore, there is a good chance that you will suffer a qualifying fracture or permanent injury in any accident that involves medical treatment that reaches the threshold. Thus, while the state is technically a no-fault accident state, anyone considering legal action is probably eligible to file a lawsuit. If you violate right-of-way laws, you are placing yourself at risk of getting sued by another party injured in a car accident you caused.

Contact Palmer Law Group After Getting Into an Accident in Kansas

At Palmer Law Group, our experienced legal team has been helping seriously injured victims of car, truck, and motorcycle accidents since January 1980, working to get them the compensation they need to recover from those injuries. We believe that injured parties deserve to have skilled lawyers representing them throughout the insurance claims and legal processes. If you are a careful driver who always obeys the right-of-way laws of the state, you shouldn’t have to pay the price for another driver’s ignoring those laws.

All too often, people who are injured in car accidents wait to contact a lawyer, believing the insurance process will work for them. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. For more information about Kansas right-of-way laws and how they may affect your legal case, contact our office at (785) 233-1836 to schedule your free consultation.