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When Am I Required to Yield the Right-of-Way?
Sometimes it’s hard to determine who has the right-of-way in certain situations. Who goes first at a four-way stop when two of you arrived at the same time? These are questions that many people have, and understandably so.
If you have any questions after you’ve received a traffic ticket in New York, please contact one of the New York right-of-way violation lawyers at the Law Office of James Medows.
New York Right-of-Way Rules
According to New York law, you should yield the right-of-way when you are in any of the following situations:
- Approaching or entering an intersection
- Turning left
- Entering an intersection
- Entering a road
- Being approached by an emergency vehicle
- Approaching a stationary emergency vehicle
- Approaching a rotary traffic circle or island
- Approaching or being approached by horses
Penalties for Failing to Yield
The penalties for most right-of-way yielding violations in New York are similar, but they depend on how many right-of-way yielding violations you have accrued within the last eighteen months.
All offenses include an $85 surcharge and three points on your license, but the fines vary based on whether this is your first, second, or subsequent offense:
- Your first offense comes with a $150 fine.
- Within an eighteen-month period, your second offense lands you with a $300 fine.
- Your third offense in eighteen months entails a $450 fine.
However, for yielding offenses involving an approaching, parked, stopped, or standing authorized emergency service vehicle, the fines are significantly higher. They include the following:
- A $275 fine for your first offense
- A $450 fine for your second offense in eighteen months
- A $750 fine for your third offense in eighteen months
How Do Points Affect My Insurance Rates?
The biggest problem is probably not the fines—though they do sting. Rather, it’s usually the way your violations are assessed via drivers license points. Beyond six points, these will cost you lots of money, and they’ll cost you your driving privileges at eleven points.
The potential license suspension is the most frustrating part of the whole thing, unless you count the insurance rate hikes that are almost guaranteed after any violation. Rate hikes are sometimes maintained for as long as three years.
Speak to a New York Traffic Attorney
Failing to yield the right-of-way can result in an expensive ticket, points on your license, and increased insurance costs. Tickets like these can place a burden on your bank account and your daily life.
Luckily, the Law Office of James Medows can help. Give us a call at 917-856-1247 or fill out the online contact form below to schedule a consultation.