What Happens If Traffic Lights Aren’t Working When an Arizona Accident Occurs?

TL;DR: When a traffic light is not working, drivers still have a responsibility to approach the intersection carefully and follow applicable right-of-way rules. If a crash occurs at a malfunctioning signal, determining fault may require looking at each driver’s actions, the condition of the signal, witness statements, video footage, and potentially the actions of the government entity responsible for the intersection. Because accidents involving broken traffic signals can involve multiple parties and complicated liability questions, injured people should preserve evidence and consider speaking with an experienced Arizona personal injury attorney.

Traffic Light Outages Can Make Arizona Intersections Dangerous

Traffic signals provide an orderly way for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists to move through busy intersections. When a signal suddenly stops working because of a power outage, equipment failure, collision, severe weather, or another problem, drivers can be left uncertain about who should proceed.

That confusion can quickly lead to an intersection accident.

A driver may assume another vehicle will stop. Someone else may enter the intersection too quickly. A driver making a left turn may misjudge which vehicle has the right of way. At larger intersections with several lanes of traffic, a malfunctioning signal can create an especially hazardous situation.

If an accident happens, the fact that the traffic light was not working does not automatically determine who is responsible. Liability generally depends on what happened immediately before the collision and whether the people involved acted reasonably and followed applicable Arizona traffic laws.

What Should Drivers Do When a Traffic Light Is Not Working?

Arizona law contains rules governing traffic-control signals and right of way. Arizona’s transportation statutes also distinguish between ordinary traffic signals and flashing signals.

Drivers approaching an intersection with a malfunctioning or dark signal should use extreme caution. Depending on the circumstances and traffic controls present, drivers may need to stop and determine when it is safe and lawful to proceed rather than simply driving through the intersection because no green or red light is displayed.

Drivers should watch carefully for:

• Vehicles approaching from other directions
• Vehicles already within the intersection
• Pedestrians in or approaching crosswalks
• Bicyclists
• Vehicles attempting left or right turns
• Police officers or other authorized personnel directing traffic
• Temporary signs or traffic-control devices

Arizona law allows local authorities to regulate traffic through police officers and traffic-control signals. If an officer is directing traffic at an intersection, drivers should pay close attention to those instructions.

Who Is at Fault When a Broken Traffic Light Causes an Accident?

There is no single answer that applies to every broken traffic light accident in Arizona. Investigators, insurance companies, and attorneys may examine how each driver approached the intersection and what each person did before impact.

For example, a driver could potentially be considered negligent if they:

• Entered the intersection without slowing or stopping when circumstances required it
• Failed to yield to a vehicle already in the intersection
• Drove too fast for the conditions
• Failed to watch for crossing traffic
• Made an unsafe left turn
• Was distracted by a phone or another activity
• Failed to respond appropriately to a flashing signal
• Ignored an officer directing traffic

The malfunctioning traffic signal is an important part of the investigation, but it may not excuse unsafe driving.

Can Both Drivers Share Responsibility?

Yes. More than one person or entity may potentially share fault for an Arizona intersection accident. Arizona law provides for allocation of fault among parties in personal injury and property-damage cases. Generally, each defendant is responsible for damages according to the percentage of fault allocated to that defendant.

Consider an accident in which one driver enters a dark intersection without sufficient caution while another approaches at an unsafe speed. Evidence could indicate that the conduct of both drivers contributed to the collision.

This makes evidence especially important in accidents involving malfunctioning traffic signals.

What If the Signal Was Flashing Instead of Completely Dark?

A flashing signal is different from a completely nonfunctioning traffic light. Arizona has specific statutes addressing flashing traffic signals, and drivers should obey the indication being displayed.

This distinction can become important after an accident. Witnesses may describe the signal as “broken” when it was actually operating in a flashing mode. Determining exactly what the traffic signal displayed at the time of the crash can therefore be an important part of establishing liability.

Photos, videos, traffic cameras, dash cams, nearby surveillance footage, witnesses, police observations, and maintenance information may help establish the signal’s condition.

Could a City or Government Agency Be Responsible for a Malfunctioning Traffic Light?

Potentially, but government liability is considerably more complicated than simply showing that a traffic signal was not functioning.
Depending on where the intersection is located, a city, county, state agency, or another governmental entity may have responsibility for maintaining traffic-control equipment.

A claim involving a malfunctioning signal may require investigating questions such as:

• Which entity controlled or maintained the signal?
• Why did the signal stop functioning?
• How long had the problem existed?
• Did the responsible entity know about the problem?
• Were there previous complaints or reports?
• Had repair crews inspected or attempted to repair the signal?
• Were temporary warnings or traffic controls put in place?
• Did the malfunction actually contribute to the accident?

A signal failing moments before an accident may present very different liability issues from a signal that allegedly remained broken despite repeated reports.

Claims Against Arizona Government Entities Have Special Requirements

This issue is particularly important when an accident may involve a city, county, state agency, public employee, or other government entity.

Arizona imposes special procedural requirements on many claims against public entities and public employees. Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-821.01 generally requires a notice of claim to be filed with the appropriate person or persons within 180 days after the cause of action accrues, and the notice must satisfy specific statutory requirements.

Because missing an applicable deadline can seriously affect a person’s ability to pursue compensation, someone who suspects that a government entity contributed to a traffic signal accident should consider obtaining legal advice promptly.

What Evidence Can Prove a Traffic Light Wasn’t Working?

Evidence can disappear quickly after an intersection accident. The signal might be repaired within hours, vehicles may be moved, and surveillance footage can eventually be overwritten.

Useful evidence may include:

• Photos and videos
  • Images taken immediately after the accident can document whether the signal was dark, flashing, damaged, or otherwise malfunctioning.
• Dash cam footage
  • A dash cam may show the condition of the signal and how each vehicle approached the intersection.
• Surveillance footage
  • Nearby stores, businesses, homes, parking lots, buses, or other locations may have cameras facing the roadway.
• Witness statements
  • Independent witnesses may be able to describe the signal and the movements of the vehicles.
• Police documentation
  • Officers responding to the accident may document the condition of the intersection or traffic-control equipment.
• Maintenance and repair records
  • In some cases, records may help establish when the signal malfunctioned, when the responsible agency learned about the problem, and when repairs were performed.
• Prior complaints
  • Reports from other motorists or residents could potentially help establish whether a problem existed before the crash.

What Should You Do After an Accident at a Malfunctioning Traffic Light?

Your immediate priorities should be safety and medical care. If possible, move to a safe location and call 911. Seek medical attention for injuries, even if symptoms initially appear minor.

When circumstances allow, document the intersection before the signal is repaired. Take photographs or video showing the traffic lights, surrounding intersection, vehicle positions, skid marks, debris, road signs, and vehicle damage.

You should also obtain contact information from witnesses and preserve any dash cam footage.

When speaking with insurers, be careful about making assumptions regarding fault. A broken traffic signal can make liability more complicated than it initially appears, and additional evidence may change the understanding of how the accident occurred.

How Do Insurance Companies Determine Liability?

An insurance company may review many of the same types of evidence that an attorney would investigate, including:

• Police reports
• Driver statements
• Witness statements
• Vehicle damage
• Photos and videos
• Traffic laws
• Dash cam recordings
• Surveillance footage
• Signal maintenance information

An insurer may argue that one driver should have exercised greater caution even though the traffic signal was malfunctioning.
That is one reason an injured person should avoid assuming that a broken light automatically establishes liability.

Can You Recover Compensation After a Traffic Light Malfunction Accident?

If another party’s negligence caused or contributed to your injuries, you may be able to pursue compensation depending on the facts of the case.

Potential damages in an Arizona personal injury claim can include compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical treatment
• Lost income
• Reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Other accident-related losses

The amount and types of compensation available depend on the circumstances, injuries, insurance coverage, and parties involved.

Why These Accidents Can Be More Complicated Than Typical Intersection Crashes

A normal intersection collision may primarily involve determining which driver violated a red light or failed to yield. A traffic signal malfunction accident can raise additional questions.

Was the signal completely dark? Was it flashing? When did it fail? Did every driver see the same signal? Was someone directing traffic? Did the responsible agency know about the malfunction? Did one driver enter the intersection without appropriate caution?

Answering these questions may require investigating evidence beyond the standard accident report. And when a public entity may share responsibility, additional procedural rules and deadlines can make the case even more complex.

Speak With an Arizona Personal Injury Attorney

If you were injured in an accident involving a broken or malfunctioning traffic light in Arizona, determining responsibility may require a detailed investigation of the drivers, the intersection, the signal itself, and potentially the government entity responsible for maintaining it.

The Law Offices of Sonja Duckstein represents people injured in accidents throughout Arizona and can evaluate the circumstances surrounding an intersection collision, identify potentially responsible parties, preserve important evidence, and help injured people understand their legal options.

If you have questions about an accident involving a malfunctioning traffic signal, contact the Law Offices of Sonja Duckstein to discuss your case.

This article is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. The outcome of any claim depends on its specific facts and applicable law.