Parking lots are dangerous places for a variety of reasons. Drivers must navigate tight, blind corners. There are no safe places for pedestrians to walk. Drivers backing up have poor visibility for passing vehicles and pedestrians. Many drivers are unaware of who has the right of way, or completely ignore posted signs to get to a spot first. Some drivers may be going the wrong direction on one-way roads simply because it is more convenient, and everyone seems to be in a hurry. If you were injured as a driver, occupant, pedestrian, or cyclist in a parking lot, you can hold the responsible party accountable for your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and more.
Common Examples of Parking Lot Collisions
According to CBS News and the National Safety Council, 60,000 people are injured, and more than 500 are killed in parking lot collisions every year. Below are a few examples of how many of these injuries and fatalities occur each year.
- Driver unlawfully cut across the lot to get to a spot, hitting a pedestrian who was stepping out from behind a car;
- Driver made too wide of a turn, hitting a parked vehicle with occupants inside, who were injured;
- Driver backed up too quickly, hitting a pedestrian;
- Speeding driver hit another vehicle because they took a corner too quickly;
- Driver ran a stop sign and violated the right of way of another road user;
- Driver hit a cyclist because the driver was texting while driving;
- At an intersection in a parking lot, a driver failed to give right of way to other traffic, resulting in a T-bone collision; and
- In a parking garage, a driver went too quickly around a blind corner, hitting a pedestrian getting out of their car.
Why the Collision Actually Occurred
In order to win a personal injury claim, you must be able to determine liability, and how the crash happened. Driver distraction and aggression or impatience are leading causes of parking lot collisions.
- Distraction—According to the National Safety Council, 66 percent of surveyed drivers said they felt it was fine to call or use their cell phones while in parking lots. In fact, participants in the survey reported doing the following in parking lots:
- Programing GPS: 63 percent;
- Texting 56: percent;
- Using social media: 52 percent;
- Sending or reading emails: 50 percent; and
- Taking photos or watching video: 49 percent.
- Impatient driving / aggressive driving—Cutting across lanes, going down one-way streets, speeding around corners or around backing up vehicles, speeding to get to a spot first, and engaging in other acts of aggressive driving is one of the leading causes of traffic collisions in parking lots.
Call a San Jose Parking Lot Attorney Today for Help
If you were injured in a parking lot or parking garage collision, an experienced attorney can help. Reach out to our experienced San Jose car accident attorneys with Solution Now Law Firm for a free consultation. Call us today.
Resources:
nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/distracted-driving/parking-lot-safety
cbsnews.com/news/parking-lot-accidents-distracted-drivers-national-safety-council/
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