Venus Williams fatal crash in Florida

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: Rhymingmechanic
The car coming from her right then failed to stop and hit Williams before she could proceed through the intersection.


After watching the video a few times it appears as though the driver didn't even attempt to hit the brakes even though Williams car should have been visible from a distance.


I think the cars that where stopped to her right in the other lanes were blocking Venus from view to the car that T-boned her. So when Venus continued across the intersection after being stopped in the middle, she basically popped out of nowhere to the car coming from her right.

 

[DoubleWasp]

OK. I see now. That makes a lot of sense.

So it's really one of those tragedies, where too many things went wrong at the wrong time.

 

[SatinSilver]

Although with the size of the suv you would think that would help. But the color of the truck was black, sun glare could have been a factor as well along with all the other things mentioned here. A perfect storm in other words.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: Rhymingmechanic
The car coming from her right then failed to stop and hit Williams before she could proceed through the intersection.


After watching the video a few times it appears as though the driver didn't even attempt to hit the brakes even though Williams car should have been visible from a distance.


I think the cars that where stopped to her right in the other lanes were blocking Venus from view to the car that T-boned her. So when Venus continued across the intersection after being stopped in the middle, she basically popped out of nowhere to the car coming from her right.

I get that. Of course the primary responsibility is for the drivers in the direction where the light turned green to make sure that the there are no other vehicles in the intersection. That's pretty basic drivers ed. All the other drivers were stopped behind the crosswalk and obviously were able to see the entire intersection. It was an extremely poor decision to keep up that speed, especially with the stopped vehicles blocking the driver's view of the intersection.

The problem I see is that the cop had no business saying that she had the right of way but lost it. If he tried saying that in court any lawyer cross-examining him would tear him apart.

 

[y_p_w]

Judging by the missing posts, the previous thread on this subject probably got derailed that way.

 

[NGRhodes]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Florida Law says that no driver has the "right of way" and that all drivers have the responsibility to avoid an accident.



Actually in this situation there is clear guidance on right of way.


"Green
Go – but only if the intersection is clear. Yield to pedestrians and vehicles still in the intersection."

http://www.123driving.com/flhandbook/flhb-traffic-signals.shtml

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: NGRhodes
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Florida Law says that no driver has the "right of way" and that all drivers have the responsibility to avoid an accident.



Actually in this situation there is clear guidance on right of way.


"Green
Go – but only if the intersection is clear. Yield to pedestrians and vehicles still in the intersection."

http://www.123driving.com/flhandbook/flhb-traffic-signals.shtml



The law itself is especially clear.

Quote:
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/inde...s/0316.075.html

(a) Green indication.—
1. Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed cautiously straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I recall this subject being discussed here on BITOG previously. Did the mods delete it?

Yes they did. Unfortunately, some took it as an opportunity to make unrelated political statements.

My main point there and now is the intersection and the signal light timing needs to be studied and adjusted. Crossing what looks to be at least six lanes and a median needs to allow a greater margin of error for all cross traffic to clear imo. See diagram.

Perhaps if Williams had not been nice in allowing a left turning vehicle to turn in front of her, she may have cleared the intersection in time, avoiding the accident.

I feel the subsequent wrongful death civil suit faces an uphill battle now that Williams no longer declared at fault by the police.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Sayjac
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I recall this subject being discussed here on BITOG previously. Did the mods delete it?

Yes they did. Unfortunately, some took it as an opportunity to make unrelated political statements.

My main point there and now is the intersection and the signal light timing needs to be studied and adjusted. Crossing what looks to be at least six lanes and a median needs to allow a greater margin of error for all cross traffic to clear imo. See diagram.

Perhaps if Williams had not been nice in allowing a left turning vehicle to turn in front of her, she may have cleared the intersection in time, avoiding the accident.

I feel the subsequent wrongful death civil suit faces an uphill battle now that Williams no longer declared at fault by the police.

That particular intersection has some peculiar details. One is that the east-west direction is a major surface thoroughfare with a 55 MPH speed limit. The direction that Williams came out of was a gated community right at the guard shack, so that's hardly a high traffic direction. Same goes for the direction from the north. It sounds like they've made a decision to reduce the light timing from the low traffic directions.

I don't even think any declaration of fault by the police is terribly important once there's video. Once the video was made available it's really difficult to place blame on Williams, although the other driver's attorney seems to be trying.

 

[wwillson]

Lock time