As a pedestrian in California, you have the right of way and you expect that other vehicle drivers on the road will give you that respect when you are moving in and out of a crosswalk. However, what happens when a motor vehicle driver simply doesn’t come to a stop? The rolling stop may cause a pedestrian accident. The rolling stop occurs when someone doesn’t come to a complete stop and moves through the intersection. At a stop sign, this could mean that the driver does not fully see all the potential for an accident in and around their vehicle, thus subjecting nearby pedestrians to a higher accident likelihood.

Unfortunately rolling stop pedestrian accidents are a leading cause of death and injuries in California. California was home to 700 fatalities from pedestrian accidents in 2014 alone. Whether it was a rolling stop or someone not paying attention, a pedestrian is more likely to sustain critical injuries in the event of a vehicle accident. These injuries may form the basis of a personal injury claim.

The vast majority of these events included vehicles turning right on a red light. This is known as the California stop and the practice is extremely common. However, rolling through an intersection is not legal in California. The California Vehicle Code mandates that all drivers come to a full stop at a red light prior to making a right-hand turn. These same laws stipulate that vehicles have to give pedestrians the right of way when crossing any of these intersections.