Who Is At Fault for a Parking Lot Accident?

Parking lot car accidents are fairly common, particularly in busy lots or garages. While these accidents are often relatively minor fender-benders, they can cause serious injuries, especially if a pedestrian is involved.

Depending on the details of the accident, it may or may not be clear who is liable. Determining liability will depend on whether both vehicles were moving at the time of the accident and which car had the right of way. For example, if a driver hits a stationary vehicle, and the stationary car is legally parked, the driver that hit the parked car would be at fault. If two vehicles were moving at the time of the accident, liability will depend on who had the right of way. If a distracted motorist hits a pedestrian or is not paying attention to their surroundings, they would be liable for the pedestrian’s injuries.

What Are the Different Types of Parking Lot Accidents?

Parking lot accidents may not be high-speed collisions that cause extensive property damage and severe, life-threatening injuries. Still, victims of parking lot accidents do not always walk away without a scratch. Certain types of parking lot accidents can be more severe than others. The following are examples of some of the most common types of parking lot accidents:

  • Rear-end accidents: These accidents occur when one driver hits another vehicle from behind. Often, rear-end accidents are caused by distracted driving, including talking or texting on the phone, eating, programming the GPS, or behavior that takes the driver’s attention away from the road. In most cases, the person who did the rear-ending is considered at fault.
  • Entering and exiting parking spaces: When backing out of a parking space, motorists are responsible for ensuring no vehicles or pedestrians are approaching before continuing to back out of the spot. If drivers fail to look both ways before exiting a parking space, they could hit another vehicle or a pedestrian. An accident can also occur if two cars collide after exiting a parking space simultaneously.
  • Failure to yield accidents: When exiting a parking space, motorists must yield to vehicles with the right of way. For example, drivers exiting a parking space must yield to cars in feeder lanes, which are the lanes that guide drivers up and down the lot with spaces on either side. Drivers exiting the feeder lanes must yield to cars in the thoroughfare lanes, which are the wider lanes that surround the parking lot and connect to the road.
  • Left-turn accidents: These occur when a driver turns left into a parking space and crashes into a vehicle going the opposite direction. In most cases, the at-fault party would be the left-turn driver.

A Springfield Car Accident Lawyer at Kicklighter Law Can Help After a Parking Lot Accident

If you were injured in a parking lot accident that another motorist caused, it is recommended that you contact a Springfield car accident lawyer at Kicklighter Law as soon as possible. Call us at 912-754-6003 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. Located in Springfield, Georgia, we serve clients in Effingham County, Savannah, and the surrounding areas.