Who is Responsible in a Parking Lot Accident?

Parking lots can be dangerous areas. Many people are supposed to drive slowly and pay attention when driving in a parking lot, but drivers tend to have everything but driving on their minds. This fact, along with the overall chaotic atmosphere of a parking lot, makes them a hot spot for accidents.

Common Parking Lot Accidents

Determining who is responsible in a parking lot accident can be a complicated matter and depends entirely on the circumstances. Some common parking lot accidents include:

• A driver backs out and hits a vehicle driving down the parking lane. Fault in this type of accidents would usually fall on the driver backing out of the parking spot. The car driving down the parking lane would have the right of way in this situation. An exception may be if the driver going down the parking lane was traveling at a high rate of speed not appropriate for a parking lot. It is important to always pull out of your parking space slowly and look around you for oncoming traffic.
• A driver pulls forward and hits a vehicle driving down the parking lane. Again, fault in this situation would typically fall on the driver pulling out of the parking spot. This commonly happens when a driver attempts to “pull through” another parking spot and into the parking lane. It is important to make sure that no one is coming down the parking lane before pulling forward.
• A driver is rear-ended in the parking lane. In rear-end collisions, fault almost always lies with the driver in the rear. It is a driver’s responsibility to stay far enough behind another vehicle to ensure they have enough time to brake.
• Two vehicles collide while backing out of two different spaces.Generally, these accidents may be the fault of both vehicles involved. It is the responsibility of both drivers to ensure that no one is coming down the parking lane and that no one is pulling out of another spot before backing up.
• A driver turns in front of an oncoming vehicle to pull into a parking spot.When fights for parking spots begin, especially when a parking lot is busy, accidents can occur. Responsibility would generally fall on the driver who pulled in front of the oncoming vehicle. It is important to wait patiently for a parking spot. It’s not worth getting into an accident.
• Driver in the parking lot hits a pedestrian while pulling out of a parking spot or driving down the parking lane.It is the responsibility of both pedestrians and drivers to be aware of their surroundings in a parking lot. Responsibility in this situation will depend on the particular circumstances of the accident.