People nowadays assume that a sideswipe incident would only lead to minor damages and little to no physical injuries at all.
On the contrary, many sideswipe crashes lead to the loss of control of the vehicles and other tragic results such as severe injuries and even death.
Sideswipe or ‘blind spot’ accidents cause damage to the vehicle such as dents on the side doors, scrapes on the quarter panels, and damage or loss of the side-view mirrors. It can also cause impact to the driver or passengers, and injuries may be experienced in their shoulders and necks due to the sudden jerking motion from the collision.
Thus, in this article, we will discuss the critical steps on how to deal with a sideswipe accident.
How Does A Sideswipe Accident Occur?
Sideswipe collisions occur when two vehicles drive close to one another. After that, one vehicle starts to move into the other lane and eventually hits the side of the car.
In some cases, the incidents of sideswiping involve one car only plus a non-moving object like a barrier or another vehicle parked in a parallel position on the roadside. But the initial contact due to sideswiping can be just the start of a more significant vehicular accident.
Reasons Why Sideswipes Happen
Here are some of the reasons why sideswipes happen:
- The driver overreacts and steers his/her wheel too quickly to avoid impact due to a car driving close to their lane. Little they did know that this could even lead to an even more severe roll-over mishap.
- A driver reacts to a hazard.
- Often, the incident occurs because of distraction to the driver or when they don’t pay attention to the road. Some of the distractions include using smartphones while driving, talking to other passengers, operating the radio, and driving while intoxicated.
Under the laws of the United States, you must drive your vehicles only within a single lane, and you must not move it into another lane until you make it sure that you can do the movement safely.
Meanwhile, sideswipe incidents can pose real challenges in determining who is at fault regarding the accident.
Critical Steps to Take When You’re Involved In A Sideswipe Accident
- Check For Injuries
When you are involved in a sideswipe accident, the first thing to do is to check if you or your passengers are injured.
If you can move your body, try to get yourself to a safer place such as at the side of the road. Meanwhile, if your body is bleeding, you can apply basic first aid by using your clothes as a tourniquet. But if you think you have broken body parts, just stay in place and wait for medical professionals to arrive.
- Call For Help
Call 911 to report the incident, and so that medics can check you and other passengers/ pedestrians involved in the accident. If possible, stay put in the hospital until you have been diagnosed and treated by the doctor.
- Report To The Police
As soon as the police arrive at the location of the accident, they will inevitably ask questions to determine who’s at fault.
With that in mind, answer all questions honestly but remember to be careful because they can use everything that you say and do against you.
Protect yourself as well as your rights. It is advisable to gather evidence regarding the accident. Some of the information you must obtain are the following:
- Name and contact details of the other driver plus its passengers.
- Name and number of the police officer. You can visit them at their office once you have recovered from your injury ask for the copy of the police report.
- Check if there are any witnesses present during the accident. Get their names and contact information too.
- Be sure to jot down the plate number of the other car, car model, and its description.
- Take pictures of the accident from various angles. Include the damages incurred by both cars too.
Keep this information safe so you can use these as evidence when you file a case in court.
- Let The Insurer Know About The Accident
Call your insurer or the agent regarding the accident so they will know how to proceed next. Your agent will also give you guidance on how to claim damages so you can repair your car.
- Hire A Legal Counsel
Finally, if you are still having difficulties in the legal processes, you can hire the services of a competent lawyer. They can guide you on how to proceed against the other driver when involved in a sideswipe accident.
Conclusion
In sum, regardless of the intensity of damage brought about by sideswipe accident, you or any member of the family should consider speaking to a legal counsel to learn about the processes that can help you deal with the accident.
Determining who’s at fault can be challenging. Thus an attorney like the one here can help you recover the costs incurred during the whole process.
Vicki Haskett
Vicki is a law writing enthusiast who’s had over 25 years of experience in her field. She enjoys sharing her experiences with those who want to learn more about the legal world. In her spare time she spends quality time with her family and friends.
