Any time you are in a car, you can be involved in a car accident. In certain settings, car accidents are more likely to occur than they are in others. These settings tend to be places where there is not a consistent flow of traffic like there is on main thoroughfares. In these settings, a high number of stationary objects, vehicles moving in multiple directions, and pedestrians can increase your chance of being involved in an accident.
If you are injured in a car accident, you may pursue monetary compensation for your resulting damages through a personal injury claim. Although this is an option, it is far better to avoid an accident in the first place by obeying the posted traffic rules and being aware of your surroundings at all times. Below are three environments in which collisions tend to occur frequently.
Parking Lots
In a parking lot, there are a lot of collision hazards. These include:
- Cars parked very close to each other;
- Drivers pulling into and backing out of spaces, sometimes without looking;
- Drivers driving too fast through parking lots or ignoring posted traffic signs;
- Pedestrians moving through the parking lot who are sometimes distracted by conversations or their phones; and
- Stationary objects like concrete dividers and cart corrals.
Low speed collisions are the most common type of accident to occur in parking lots. Although they happen at low speeds, these collisions can still cause serious injuries and property damage.
Residential Neighborhoods
Many car accidents occur close to the victim’s home. When you are driving in your own neighborhood or another, there are many hazards that increase your chance of being involved in an accident.
Just like parking lots, neighborhoods tend to have many parked cars and pedestrians. In neighborhoods, drivers pulling out of their driveways pose a collision hazard.
In your own neighborhood, you might not be as attentive to your surroundings as you are when driving elsewhere. This increases your chance of being involved in an accident. No matter where you drive, always wear your seat belt and take care to pay close attention to your surroundings, especially when you are driving at night and visibility is low.
Intersections
In an intersection, cars are driving in multiple directions at once. Rear end collisions, side-swipe collisions, and even head-on collisions can occur when drivers are not careful to stay in their lanes and to follow the traffic light’s instructions. One common cause of intersection accidents is vehicles running red lights. Another common cause is vehicles making left turns. There are a few reasons why left turns are so dangerous. These include lowered driver visibility and difficulty determining other vehicles’ speed when making left turns.
Work with an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
If you are injured in a car accident, you have the right to pursue monetary compensation for your damages through a personal injury claim. To learn more about your rights as an injured victim and how you can file and pursue your claim, schedule your initial legal consultation with one of the personal injury lawyers on our team at Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd.