Failure to yield is one of the most common contributing factors in Michigan intersection crashes, and on Macomb County’s busiest roads, the consequences can be serious. If you’ve driven on Hall Road, Gratiot Avenue, Van Dyke, or Mound Road, you’ve likely encountered a driver who cut across traffic, pulled out from a side street without waiting, or turned left into your path. When those moments result in a collision, understanding what the law says — and what options may be available — matters.

What Michigan Law Requires

Michigan’s Vehicle Code sets out specific right-of-way requirements through multiple provisions. Under MCL 257.649(1), a driver approaching an intersection must yield to a vehicle that has already entered the intersection. Under MCL 257.649(2), at an uncontrolled intersection, a driver must yield to a vehicle approaching from the right. Under MCL 257.649(8), a driver at a stop sign must stop and then yield to traffic on the intersecting road before proceeding. Under MCL 257.652(1), a driver exiting an alley, private road, or driveway must yield to traffic on the roadway before entering. Under MCL 257.612, drivers must yield to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully crossing in a crosswalk.

According to the Michigan courts benchbook on right-of-way violations, a driver intending to turn left across a lane of oncoming traffic must yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction that are so close as to constitute an immediate hazard, under MCL 257.649a(1).

The Consequences Under Michigan Law

Failure to yield is a civil infraction under Michigan’s Vehicle Code. Under Michigan’s driver point system, a moving violation resulting in an at-fault collision carries four points on a driver’s record. Failure to yield causing death or injury of an emergency responder, construction worker, or certain other roadway workers is a more serious offense under Michigan law. When a failure-to-yield violation causes injury to another person, it may also give rise to civil liability.

Where Failure-to-Yield Crashes Happen in Macomb County

The 2024 Michigan State Police Year End Report identifies failure to yield as one of the hazardous actions documented by investigating officers after crashes. In Macomb County, failure-to-yield crashes commonly occur at busy intersections and along major roadways, including the I-696/Van Dyke/11 Mile interchange in Warren, the Hall Road corridor through Macomb Township and Clinton Township, Gratiot Avenue through Roseville and Eastpointe, and Mound Road in Sterling Heights.

These are high-volume roads with frequent driveways, side streets, and unsignalized access points where drivers enter the flow of traffic. On a road like Gratiot Avenue — which carries significant traffic volume at all hours — a driver pulling out from a parking lot or side street who misjudges the gap in traffic can create a collision with limited warning for the approaching driver.

What This Means If You Were in a Crash

When a police report identifies failure to yield as the investigating officer’s assigned hazardous action, that finding may be relevant to a civil negligence claim. Whether it supports a claim, and what damages may be available, depends on the specific facts of the crash — including the road conditions, posted signage, traffic control devices, and the conduct of each driver at the time of impact.

Michigan’s no-fault system provides PIP benefits for medical expenses and wage loss regardless of who was at fault. Whether additional claims against the at-fault driver may be available depends on the severity of the injuries and the circumstances of the crash. An attorney can evaluate the police report, the applicable right-of-way statutes, and the specific facts to help determine what legal options may exist.

If you were involved in a failure-to-yield crash in Macomb County, our team may be able to help. We serve clients throughout Warren, Sterling Heights, Roseville, Clinton Township, and the surrounding communities. To speak with a Michigan personal injury attorney, contact us today.

Source: Michigan courts benchbook, Right-of-Way or Failure to Yield; Michigan State Police, 2024 Statewide Traffic Crash Data Year End Report; Michigan Secretary of State, “What Every Driver Must Know,” Chapter 2