A crash at an intersection can have both drivers convinced the other caused it. Each person may remember the light differently, and the moments before impact can become difficult to reconstruct. When both drivers entered against a red light, the question becomes more complicated: Can both drivers share responsibility for the injuries that followed?
How Arizona may divide fault
Under Arizona’s pure comparative fault rule, a court can assign each person a percentage of fault for an injury. The injured person’s damages then decrease according to that person’s share of responsibility. There is no rule that automatically bars recovery simply because an injured person was partly at fault.
For example, suppose Driver A entered an intersection after the light turned red, while Driver B also entered against a red light from the opposite direction. Investigators may need to determine what each driver did, how those actions contributed to the collision and whether other circumstances affected the crash.
Evidence may help establish what happened, including:
- Traffic or surveillance camera footage showing the intersection
- Witness statements about the traffic signals and vehicle movements
- Police reports, citations and accident-scene documentation
- Vehicle damage, skid marks and other physical evidence
- Cellphone or vehicle data that may show timing, speed or movement
The evidence may not produce an immediate answer, particularly when the drivers provide conflicting accounts. A traffic citation can establish a violation without resolving every issue involved in a civil injury claim.
Understanding what happened after a collision
After a serious crash, the last thing an injured person may want to do is sort through conflicting stories about who was at fault. Yet those details can affect a personal injury claim. Preserving evidence and speaking with a personal injury attorney can help clarify what happened, how Arizona’s fault rules may apply and what legal options may be available.