Most drivers in Florida have committed a rolling stop at least once or twice. Many people don’t even know that such an action is a traffic violation. However, you can get ticketed if an officer sees you doing a rolling stop; worse yet, a rolling stop could cause a car accident and injuries.
What are the dangers of rolling stops?
At first glance, rolling stops might not seem particularly dangerous: If there’s no one else on the road, what’s the point in coming to a complete stop? Unfortunately, you can’t predict everything that’s going to happen on the highway. A car could come out of nowhere and blast through the intersection, and if you weren’t completely stopped, your car could collide with the vehicle.
You could also rear-end the vehicle in front of you. If your car isn’t completely stopped, it could roll forward and cause a motor vehicle accident, or MVA. Even more dangerous, a pedestrian could suddenly run across the road. Your car could end up hitting a pedestrian, resulting in a personal injury lawsuit.
If an officer sees you doing a rolling stop, you might receive a traffic ticket and have to pay a fine. Rolling stops are illegal throughout the state of Florida. In fact, some states have installed cameras at intersections that are designed to catch people who don’t stop at the red light. Once you have a ticket on your record, you might end up paying higher car insurance premiums.
What if you’re the victim in this scenario?
Since a rolling stop is illegal, you have the right to sue another driver if he or she hits your vehicle. You might want to hire an attorney to help you with your case. Your attorney might be able to gather solid evidence that proves that the other driver showed negligence.