Nearly a dozen states have recently put laws in place that allow a motorcyclist to run a red light—in specific circumstances. But will this law protect a motorcyclist from liability if they get into a crash when they run a red? Read on to learn where these laws are in effect, what actions they protect, and whether or not they would come into play in an accident.

These "safe-on-red" laws were created to remedy the fact that sometimes a sensor is not going to be able to detect the presence of a motorcyclist. If that rider is the only person near that intersection, the red light could last for minutes on end. This would leave riders with unpleasant options. Before these laws, a motorcyclist or bicyclist would have to leave the vehicle unattended to push the button for the crosswalk, run the red light thus breaking a traffic law, or risk asking a car to pass them and trigger the sensor, thus the green light.

Depending on the state, a motorcyclist has to wait a certain period of time to see if anyone else, motorist or pedestrian, is approaching the intersection. If the light has remained red for minutes, minutes where no one else has come into sight, a motorcyclist would then be allowed to run the red light. Which states have these laws? They are Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. While Nebraska had proposed a bill for a safe-on-red law earlier this year, this legislation appears to have stalled.

Some states give a specific amount of time that a rider has to wait at the red light, such as stopping for at least 45 seconds in Wisconsin or 120 seconds in Virginia. Other states specifically apply this law to mopeds as well. In Illinois, big cities such as Chicago are not under these laws. The earliest state to introduce this law was Minnesota, where this rule became law in 2002. The law allows a bicyclist or motorcyclist run a red if they first stopped, but the red light lasted "for an unreasonable time". If neither a pedestrian nor another vehicle can be seem coming toward the intersection, or if they are only in the distance, then the rider can proceed. All other states with these laws follow similar regulations, always calling for caution before going ahead.

So do these laws have any bearing on an accident involving a motorcyclist who runs through a red light? If a motorcyclist tries to use this law as an affirmative defense after an accident, they would fail. If they were actually following this law, there would be no pedestrian or car to crash into. Oklahoma is explicit on this matter, adding that a crash created by a motorcyclist running a red would always result in a charge of violating the right-of-way. In the case of a motorcyclist or bicyclist running a red and causing an accident then, safe-on-red laws will do nothing to protect them from liability, liability for vehicle damage and for other people's injuries.

If you have been injured in accident where the other party is liable, then you are entitled to compensation. You should not be paying for the medical or repair bills caused by someone else's negligence. In fact, you should not have to go without pay if you have been missing work because of your injuries. A fair settlement from the other person's insurance, or even from an accident lawsuit, could enable to you recover all of your financial losses. Find a qualified car accident lawyer in this directory today to start learning what you could accomplish through a vehicle accident claim.