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Everything You Should Know Regarding Parking Lot Accidents

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Almost every day the average American drives through a parking lot, since they serve as gateways to most commerce. While most people do not consider parking lots to be dangerous, they are breeding grounds for car accidents. This is due to the high concentration of people walking around and the number vehicles within a moderately small area, which are going in various directions. In the U.S., in 2017, almost 6,000 pedestrians died in car accidents.

In Pennsylvania, parking lot crashes are a shockingly common occurrence. Although most parking lot crashes happen at relatively low speeds, they still have the potential to inflict severe injuries or even the death of victims.

The most common types of parking lot accidents are as follows:

  1. Head-on collisions;
  2. Bumper to bumper crashes;
  3. Crashes that result from one car t-boning the other;
  4. Pedestrians getting hit by cars; and
  5. Accidents involving cyclists.

Tips on Avoiding Parking Lot Accidents

Commonly, drivers ignore or fail to obey traffic signs, speed limits, and traffic lanes. Other drivers and pedestrians are frequently placed at an increased risk of accidents when drivers cut across empty rows in the parking lot.

Parking lots, especially at big shopping centers or downtown are often jam-packed. Pedestrians walk around on their smartphones and do not pay attention to oncoming cars. As a result, drivers need to be especially watchful of anyone walking around their vicinity. Drivers have to be ready to slam on their breaks in case pedestrians walk in front of their cars. Additionally, while backing up, drivers must be particularly cautious of anyone walking around them.

What to do if You Were Involved in a Parking Lot Accident

In case you are ever involved in a parking lot accident, you must first examine yourself and any passengers for injuries. You should call 911 and seek immediate medical attention, even if your injuries do not appear to be severe. Getting medical attention will assist in properly documenting any injuries that occurred. When it comes to your health, it is much better to be safe than sorry.

Even if the accident seems minor, you should still call the police. The police will complete a report of the accident, which includes various details, such as who was at fault and any influencing factors.

Additionally, take photographs of the accident scene. Photos that display the vehicles positioned immediately after the accident and their location in relation to one another are especially helpful for disputing the cause of the accident. After getting some photographs, be sure to move your car to a safe spot.

Ensure that you exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver. You should write down information from both their driver’s license and insurance card.

Interview all potential witnesses and write down their names, phone numbers and addresses. Also, look around to see if there are any security cameras, so you can get a tape of the accident.

Need an Experienced Parking Lot Accident Attorney?

When you contact the attorneys at Kevin L. Hand, P.C. after a parking lot accident, our team of dedicated attorneys will fight for you and help you every step of the way.

We realize that even minor injuries can have a devastating impact on an accident victim’s life. The combination of physical and emotional trauma, as well as money problems, can make life miserable. We will zealously fight to make sure you are compensated for all your damages. Damages may include costly hospital bills, lost wages, physical therapy expenses, and pain and suffering.

The Bucks County personal injury attorneys at Kevin L. Hand, P.C. have been handling personal injury lawsuits since 1981. When you want results, you call Kevin L. Hand, P.C. Our mission is to provide each and every client with the highest level of legal representation possible.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a parking lot accident due to another party’s negligence, call our team of dedicated and determined attorneys at 215-968-6602 or contact us online. Please note that statute of limitations is only two years, so you should contact us as soon as possible.

Resource:

crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812681

/the-leading-causes-of-car-accidents-and-proper-prevention/

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