What Causes Sideswipe Accidents?

A sideswipe accident is a collision between the sides of two vehicles. Sideswipes can occur between two vehicles traveling in the same or opposite directions. A sideswipe accident can be minor or severe, causing only property damage or resulting in catastrophic injuries. A sideswipe could turn deadly if a driver overreacts to the impact, jerking the wheel in the opposite direction and potentially losing control of the car. Certain hazards, circumstances and driver mistakes cause sideswipe accidents most often.

Unsafe Lane Changes

Making an unsafe merge or lane change is one of the most common reasons behind sideswipe collisions. Merging to the right or the left could lead to a sideswipe if the merging driver fails to keep a proper lookout. Merging on top of another vehicle, for example, could cause the sides of both vehicles to collide. One driver may be responsible for the unsafe lane change accident, or else both drivers could share fault if they moved into the same lane simultaneously. Every driver must pay attention to the road, check both mirrors and look in blind spots before merging or changing lanes to avoid sideswipes.

Blind Spots

A driver could also cause a sideswipe accident due to blind spots. A blind spot is an area of the road a driver’s mirrors do not show. Blind spots can block out sections of the road surrounding a vehicle, making it difficult or impossible to see adjacent vehicles. A driver can reduce blind spots using detection systems or blind spot mirrors. Drivers should also look over both shoulders before merging or changing lanes to physically see the roadway rather than relying only on mirrors.

Commercial truck sideswipe accidents are common due to the enormous blind spots of a big rig. Commercial truck drivers may be unable to see vehicles adjacent to either side of the trailer. Hovering next to a trailer could cause a sideswipe accident, as the truck driver will think the lane is clear. As a passenger vehicle driver, try not to stay in a truck driver’s blind spots. Instead, pass the truck quickly and safely.

Distracted Drivers

Distracted drivers may fail to properly survey surrounding lanes, resulting in preventable sideswipe accidents. Distracted drivers can drift out of their lanes and collide with the sides of other vehicles before noticing the infraction. Cellphones, food and drink, radios, GPSs, passengers, billboards and cognitive distractions could all take a driver’s attention away from the road enough to cause a sideswipe or lane-change accident.

Drunk or Impaired Drivers

Drunk or drugged drivers are also likely to drift in and out of lanes, weave between traffic or merge without looking, causing a sideswipe. A drunk driver may also abruptly veer out of his or her lane, colliding with surrounding vehicles or driving into oncoming traffic. Impaired drivers may be physically and/or cognitively unable to safely control their vehicles. This can lead to sideswipe collisions and related injuries.

Reckless Drivers

Reckless driving is to drive with a blatant disregard for the safety of others. A driver that does not safely or prudently control his or her vehicle could cause many types of accidents, including sideswipes. A driver engaged in dangerous practices such as speeding, weaving, unsafe passing or drunk driving is more likely to cause a vehicle collision than others. The driver could be liable for victims’ injuries, property damages or deaths if his or her reckless driving causes a serious sideswipe accident.

Road Hazards

Although most Houston car accidents come down to driver error, roadway defects and hazards could also contribute to these crashes. A road hazard such as a pothole or debris in the road could force a driver to react by quickly swerving out of the lane. Fault for these accidents could go to both the driver for overcorrecting and the city for failing to repair a known or obvious road hazard.