Most Common Causes of Sideswipe Accidents and Steps to Take

California traffic laws require motorists to avoid deviating from their travel lane unless it’s safe. Usually, drivers who do not stay in their lane until it’s safe to switch cause traffic accidents. With California being an at-fault state, you can seek compensation from the driver responsible for a sideswipe accident.

However, sometimes it’s not obvious to identify the driver at fault for a sideswipe. For example, if multiple vehicles squeeze a driver out of his or her lane, then more than one motorist is at fault.

Here is a look at how sideswipe accidents happen and the steps to take if you are involved in such incidents. If you are involved in such a collision, retain legal representation as soon as possible. The lawyers at a reputable law firm can help protect your rights and pursue compensation for your injuries and losses.

What does a sideswipe accident mean?

A sideswipe happens when cars traveling next to each other in the same direction collide due to one of the cars moving out of its travel lane. Depending on the direction the other car is coming from, it can cause a left- or right-side sideswipe. Such collisions are due to blind spots in the car or the driver shifting lanes when it’s not safe.

Sideswipe accidents can be seriously dangerous, especially if they happen on high-speed highways and the relative size of the colliding cars is huge. The injuries can also be serious if the drivers are not wearing their seatbelts and the airbags fail to deploy.

Some of the injuries due to sideswipe accidents include

• Lacerations and bruises
• Whiplash injuries
• Damages around the eyes, nose, and mouth
• Fractured skull
• Broken arms, legs, and ribs
• Damage to internal organs
• Spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and loss of mobility
• Traumatic brain injury and cognitive impairments

Sideswipes can also result in a sequence of events where the vehicles being rammed swerve out of their lane and collide with other cars, objects, and guardrails. Thus, understanding the common causes of side swipes and the steps to take following such accidents will help you protect your rights and property.

Common causes of sideswipe car accidents

Sideswipes happen when vehicles traveling in the same direction merge lanes, resulting in one car swiping on the side of the other. They usually happen on high-speed highways when drivers fail to determine their position and speed relative to neighboring cars. However, they can also arise due to the following reasons:

• Drivers changing lanes without checking blind spots
• Drivers shifting lanes while on the phone, distracted by radios, etc.
• Vehicles moving in and out of lanes due to drugged driving
• Driver failing to indicate a lane change
• Reckless driving, racing, or road rage
• Zoning out
• More than one vehicle is shifting into the same lane.

Steps to take after a side-swipe collision

Knowing the proper steps after a side-swipe collision can help you protect your rights and assets. Here’s a look at what to do:

Report the incident

In the case of injuries, call 911 for emergency medical services. Also, don’t hesitate to call the police, no matter what the other driver tells you. Even though California doesn’t allow police reports in court, they will provide a reasonable basis for determining liability and identifying witnesses. Don’t wait for the scene to be cleared, lest you lose essential evidence. You can seek the report later from the police station.

Collect evidence

Start by taking photos of the scene, making sure to get good images of the damages, injuries, and debris. Take photos of the damaged car and guard rails (if any). These photos can help establish the direction of the collision and the fault. They will also be used during scene reconstruction by your legal team.

Get witness statements and details of the at-fault driver

Third-party witnesses are pedestrians, passengers, cyclists, and other motorists who might’ve witnessed the collision in real time. Some onlookers might’ve even caught videos of the scene if you were lucky. But these people don’t always hang around for long, so get their statements and contacts before they disappear.

While at it, get the license numbers and contact information of the drivers involved in the collision. Take photos of their vehicles too.

Seek medical attention

Following any car accident, it’s wise to seek immediate medical attention, not just because it will help with your insurance claim but also because you want to get checked and treated for any injuries. Sometimes, injuries are internal, and you might not even feel them until it's too late.

So get examined and treated as soon as possible. It will also help with your insurance claim. Insurers tend to deny the seriousness of injuries if victims take too long to seek medical attention.

Procure legal representation

If you don’t hire a car accident attorney as soon as possible, the other driver and their insurer might try to confuse you and either reduce the settlement offer or get you to admit fault. However, retaining legal representation is a sign of seriousness.

They’ll be less likely to lowball you because your lawyer will prepare evidence and expert witnesses to strengthen your claim. And if negotiations fail, you can always ask for their help in taking the matter to court. However, most car accident cases rarely go to court. Insurers always play ball when dealing with seasoned car accident attorneys.

An experienced car accident attorney will also support you emotionally. They understand how stressful the claim or litigation processes can be, especially for car accident victims.

They will support you emotionally and even point you toward support groups and resources to help you get better. Contact an experienced lawyer if you are looking for an experienced attorney to help with your sideswipe collision claim or case.

They will have plenty of experience dealing with car accident cases, including sideswipe accidents, pedestrian, drunk driving, and Lyft accidents. Schedule a free case evaluation with a qualified attorney today.