Detailed Answer
When another driver runs a red light in Minnesota and causes a collision, you can establish their liability by showing they violated a traffic statute, breached their duty of care, and directly caused your injuries or property damage. Under Minnesota law, running a red light is a violation of Minn. Stat. § 169.19, which governs traffic-control signals, and Minn. Stat. § 169.06, which requires obedience to traffic-control devices. A violation of these statutes may constitute negligence per se, meaning the court treats the statutory breach itself as proof of negligence.
To prove liability, follow these steps:
- Obtain the police report. When officers respond to a crash, they document whether the other driver failed to stop for a red light. The report often cites the specific statutes violated. You can request it from the arresting agency or county records office.
- Preserve visual evidence. Take clear photographs of the intersection, your vehicle’s damage, skid marks, traffic signal, and any debris. If possible, retrieve video from traffic or nearby security cameras. These recordings can confirm the signal phase and impact location.
- Gather witness statements. Eyewitnesses can attest to the traffic light’s color or the speed of the at-fault driver. Obtain written or recorded accounts and contact details for follow-up.
- Secure signal timing records. Minnesota municipalities keep traffic-control device logs showing when signals change. A request under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act can produce these records to prove the length of the yellow phase and whether the light malfunctioned.
- Consult an accident reconstruction expert. Experts use physics, measurements, and vehicle data to recreate the crash. Their analysis can confirm the other driver’s speed, braking, and point of impact, reinforcing the statutory violation.
- Document your injuries and expenses. Keep medical records, bills, and repair estimates. Demonstrating the link between the crash and your harm supports causation and damages.
By combining statutory violation evidence with physical proof and expert analysis, you meet the burden to show negligence per se and causation by a preponderance of the evidence in Minnesota courts.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult a qualified Minnesota attorney for guidance in your specific situation.
Helpful Hints
- File a timely crash report with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (Minn. Stat. § 169.09).
- Use your smartphone to record the scene immediately, noting the date and time stamps.
- Ask bystanders to email their photos or videos to create a timestamped chain of custody.
- Request traffic signal records via a government data request, citing Minn. Stat. § 13.03.
- Keep a detailed injury and expense log to strengthen your damage claim.
- Consult a personal injury attorney early, especially if liability or damages exceed policy limits.