Accident Overview
Weather: Clear skies, 31°C, no wind
Vehicle A: Toyota Camry
Vehicle B: Ford F-150 pickup
Sequence of Events
The driver of the Camry (Vehicle A) approached the intersection without slowing down, assuming the light was green.
At that moment, intense sunlight reflected off a nearby curved glass building facade, directly blinding the driver’s view of the traffic light and road markings.
Mistaking the brightness for glare, the driver continued through the intersection.
Simultaneously, the Ford F-150 (Vehicle B) was making a left turn under a green arrow.
The Camry collided into the side of the pickup truck at the center of the intersection, forming a classic T-bone collision.
Driver Statement
The Camry driver testified:
“I expected to see a traffic light, but there was just a blinding white glare.
The sun hit the building and bounced straight into my eyes. I couldn’t see anything—no light, no markings.
I thought it was just sunlight and drove forward. There were no cars ahead or warning signs.”
Police Report Highlights
On-site assessment revealed that during specific hours, sunlight reflected directly into the driver’s line of sight, effectively blinding the traffic light view.
The building used high-gloss curved glass panels without sun-reflectivity simulations during design.
There were three additional complaints from other drivers on the same day, reporting similar glare at that location.
Court Ruling Summary
The local court considered several key factors in its judgment:
▶ Key Legal Considerations
Foreseeability : It was unreasonable to expect an ordinary driver to anticipate or avoid this level of glare.
Fault for intersection entry : The driver failed to slow down or stop at the unclear signal – partial fault.
Infrastructure liability : The building’s failure to account for glare angles constituted negligence.
Repetition : Similar complaints supported the systemic nature of the hazard.
▶ Final Judgment
Camry driver (Vehicle A): 30% at fault
Building owner/developer: 70% at fault
Pickup driver (Vehicle B): 0% at fault
The building’s management company was ordered to pay approximately $48,000 USD in damages, including vehicle repair, medical bills, and legal costs.