What Should I Do When a Traffic Light Loses Power?

As you are all aware, recent tropical storm weather in North Carolina caused by the remnants of Hurricane Irma has caused widespread power outages throughout our state. On Tuesday morning, North Carolina Emergency Management reported that more than 77,000 of our friends, family members and neighbors are without power. These power outages not only affect our homes and businesses, but also our traffic lights. It is essential to know how to proceed through an intersection if the traffic lights are not illuminated.

North Carolina General Statute 20-153(b6) states what you should do if you come across a traffic light that is not illuminated due to a power outage or other malfunction. The statute maintains that you should approach the intersection with caution and treat it like a stop sign before proceeding. In other words, treat the intersection like a four-way stop.

You could be given a citation if you fail to stop before proceeding through an intersection that has nonfunctional traffic lights. More importantly, you could cause an accident if you fail to follow this rule of the road. If you see law enforcement directing traffic at an intersection with nonfunctioning traffic lights, then please follow their directions.

Follow Riddle & Brantley, LLP for Future Weather Safety Tips

As personal injury attorneys with decades of experience, we have seen firsthand how car accidents can destroy lives. We also know that intersections are where many car accidents occur. Power outages after a tropical storm can take days or weeks to repair.

Hurricane season does not end until late November. There is always a possibility that our state will experience more extreme weather in the months to come. Please continue following our blog for updates on helpful safe driving tips that may keep you safe during severe weather. You can also follow our North Carolina personal injury attorneys on Facebook and Twitter.

At Riddle & Brantley, LLP, Safety Counts.