The Most Common Types Of Sideswipe Accidents

Unfortunately due to distracted drivers and speeding, sideswipe accidents are becoming more routine than ever before. A sideswipe accident occurs when two drivers traveling in the same direction collide with one another. Sideswipe accidents have many different causes but often result when the driver has lost focus and taken their attention off of the road.

The following are some of the most common scenarios seen in sideswipe incidents:

Improper lane changes can involve sudden lane changes, a failure to signal, and general failure to take proper precautions before departing the current lane. One particular cause of sideswipe accidents occurs when an individual fails to check their blind spots. An NHTSA report (“Analysis of Lane-Change Crashes and Near-Crashes”) notes that there are over 840,000 blind spot-related collisions each year across the United States.

New York law (VAT § 1128) says that any driver’s vehicle “shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.” Violating this law can lead to a citation for improper passing or improper lane changes; accidents related to this charge led to 41,740 total reported collisions in New York in 2020.

Merging can be difficult, but failing to do so safely will often lead to a sideswipe collision. Often, the driver entering the roadway from a lower-speed road is responsible for merging safely, but there can be some scenarios where the merging vehicle is victim to a careless maneuver by another driver.

New Yorkers are known to be assertive people and driving is no exception. Drivers in New York can take drastic measures to ensure they get where they want to be when they want to be there. These drastic measures involve whipping through multiple lanes just to make a turn that’s ahead. It can also involve sudden, aggressive lane changes, especially for drivers who love to weave through traffic and put others at risk.

Many sideswipe accidents occur as a result of a driver in another lane losing control of their vehicle, causing them to sideswipe others on the road. For example, if a driver is driving too fast through the inside of a curve, they may drift into the outside lane and collide with another vehicle.

Drivers may also be driving too fast for road conditions, such as snow, ice, or heavy water on the roads. Many of these accidents could have been avoided had the driver driven at safer speeds and taken a higher level of precaution.

A head-on sideswipe is a type of accident that can occur when two vehicles are about to make a head-on collision but then swerve to avoid one another. A sideswipe can still result, often causing significant damage to your vehicle and severe injuries. Often drivers involved in a head-on sideswipe accident report a loss of vehicular control.

Typically, an injured party has thirty days to file a notice of claim with an insurance company.

However, insurance companies have their own agenda once a claim has begun. They will use any excuse to lower the value of the claim or deny a claim altogether. Thus, to avoid this from happening to you, it is important to reach out to a Long Island car accident attorney as soon as possible.

The New York Personal Injury & No-fault Collections Law Firm has fought for the rights of residents of injured Long Islanders for over 20 years. Let our experienced car accident attorneys help you recover from the financial damages you have suffered in the aftermath of your accident. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today when you call 1-833-TONALAW (833-866-2529) or contact us online.