At Bernheim, Kelley, Battista LLC, we have extensive experience dealing with car accidents of all kinds, so we know how to maximize the possible compensation for our clients. Driver error is a common cause of collisions, including lane-change accidents. If you suffered financial losses or physical injuries because of a lane change accident, contact a Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer.
What are Lane Change Accidents?
A lane change accident occurs when a driver carelessly changes lanes without properly checking if it is safe to do so. This can put other drivers in a difficult spot since they may not be able to react in time to the unexpected lane change, which could lead to an accident.
In lane-change accidents, it is almost always the driver who initiates the unsafe lane change considered to be at fault for the accident, but there are situations where both the driver who made the lane change and the driver they crashed into can be found to be at fault. A Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer can help you if you were injured in an accident that involved changing lanes.
How Serious are Lane Change Accidents?
Lane change accidents are a common cause of collisions, but they do not normally cause catastrophic injuries. T-bone accidents, where the front of one car strikes the side of another, are more destructive than sideswipe accidents, where the side of one car hits the side of another.
Where do broadside collisions most commonly occur? Most lane change accidents happen in heavy traffic on urban streets, so they happen at relatively low speeds. The struck vehicle usually sustains more damage than the car that merged into its lane. When you wonder, “How much does an accident devalue my car?” know that a sideswipe accident can still cause you serious financial harm, even if you are not injured.
Do You Have the Right of Way When You Change Lanes?
The car driving forward in its lane has the right of way. When you change lanes, you must yield to cars that are already in the lane you wish to enter. Therefore, you must carefully choose the time to merge.
It is only safe to merge if there is enough space between you and the nearest approaching car. If the nearest driver in the target lane makes a hand motion inviting you to merge into the lane, it is also safe to do so.
How to Change Lanes Safely
Errors by the merging driver are the most common cause of lane change accidents. These are some examples:
- Not signaling their intent to change lanes
- Not waiting until there is enough space
- Not checking their mirrors
- Changing lanes too suddenly
Unsafe lane changes can lead to sideswipe accidents, rear-end collisions, and multi-vehicle pileups.
What Causes Lane Change Accidents?
Sudden lane changes could also lead to chain reaction accidents where several cars end up crashing into each other. Lane change accidents are often caused by impatient drivers who do not look out for other people on the road, but they could also be caused by drunk, tired, or distracted drivers as well because the people in those conditions could end up accidentally drifting out of their own lane.
How to Avoid a Lane Change Accident
If you are the one changing lanes, these are some things you can do to avoid a lane change accident:
- Use your turn signal
- Accelerate before changing lanes so that the car in the target lane does not rear-end you after you merge
- Choose your lanes carefully throughout your entire route so you have to make fewer lane changes
- Be patient and wait until there is enough space to change lanes
Determining Fault for a Lane Change Accident
In most circumstances, it is the person who makes the unsafe lane change who is deemed to be at fault if an accident occurs because of that lane change. The reason is that it is always the responsibility of the driver who is making the lane change to do so responsibly.
Drivers who plan to merge must make sure that there is enough space in the lane to merge their vehicle, they must make sure that there is enough distance between their vehicle and any vehicle in the adjacent lane, and they must use their indicators to show their intent to change lanes.
Liability for Sideswipe Accidents
There can be instances where two vehicles can be at fault for the accident; this can occur when two vehicles attempt to change lanes at the same time. If that happens, both drivers could be considered to be at fault for the accident. However, it does not mean that either driver cannot get compensation for the accident. That is because Florida is a comparative negligence state, which means that if someone is partially responsible for an accident in which they got hurt, they can still receive damages.
Is the Accident Automatically Your Fault if You Were the One Changing Lanes?
If you are partially at fault for the accident, your damages will be reduced based on your percentage of fault. If you were 25% responsible for the accident, you will receive 75% of what you would have gotten if you were not at fault at all. The percentage of fault is determined by the courts and the insurance companies, which is why a car accident lawyer is needed in cases about how to dispute a car accident fault.
Can Both Parties Be at Fault for a Lane Change Accident?
Most lane-change accidents are straightforward affairs where one driver was clearly in the wrong; others are more contentious because both drivers involved in the accident could be considered to be at fault. If you were injured, but the insurance companies say that the accident was partially your fault, then this is definitely when to get an attorney for a car accident.
How Can Bernheim Kelley Help You After a Lane Change Accident?
A lane change accident can happen in an instant and change your life forever. If you have been injured, you need a competent attorney in your corner to help you fight for compensation. The experienced personal injury lawyers at Bernheim Kelley can help you after a lane change accident by providing skilled and compassionate legal representation. You can likely pursue compensation for lost wages, hospital bills, pain and suffering, and more. Contact Bernheim Kelley in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, today to schedule a consultation.