Sideswipe accidents are some of the most dangerous car collisions. They can happen in an instant, often at high speeds on highways or busy city roads, and frequently lead to serious injuries or multi-vehicle crashes. If you or a loved one has suffered crash injuries in Minnesota, Sieben Polk P.A. can help you fair compensation for your damages.
- What Is a Sideswipe Accident?
- Why Are Sideswipe Accidents Dangerous?
- Common Injuries Caused by Sideswipe Car Accidents
- Causes of Sideswipe Accidents
- How Can You Protect Yourself From Sideswipe Accidents?
- Legal Options After a Sideswipe Accident
- Contact Our Lawyers for Help With Your Sideswipe Accident Claim
- Sideswipe crashes can be dangerous because of the minimal protection a vehicle’s side provides.
- They can also cause a vehicle to spin out and collide with other vehicles.
- Side-impact accidents can be fatal or cause severe injuries, such as concussions, broken bones, and spinal cord damage.
- Safe driving practices, like proper signaling and following at a safe distance, can reduce your risk of getting sideswiped.
- Our car accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for your injuries after a side-impact crash.
What Is a Sideswipe Accident?
A sideswipe accident is a collision between the sides of two vehicles traveling in the same direction. It usually happens during lane changes or merges, often on highways or multi-lane roads. Poor visibility or distracted driving can also lead to sideswipe accidents, making them both common and deadly.
Why Are Sideswipe Accidents Dangerous?
Sideswipe collisions can be extremely damaging and even deadly car accidents. In 2022, these collisions caused 1,067 fatalities throughout the United States. These accidents often occur at high speeds, where the force of the impact can have deadly consequences.
When a vehicle is hit from the side, its occupants have less protection from impact. In most cars, the doors and side panels serve as limited buffers from impact compared to a car’s reinforced front and rear bumpers.
In rear-end and head-on collisions, the vehicle’s front or back bumpers absorb much of the impact and force. Because a vehicle’s side panels contain less material, the force of the crash is felt more directly by the car’s occupants. With less space between the side of a vehicle and the occupants’ bodies, passengers are more vulnerable to direct impact.
Sideswipe crashes can also increase the risk of secondary collisions. Sideswiping may cause a vehicle to spin out of control, collide with other objects, or flip over. This can be particularly dangerous on highways or other high-speed roads with multiple lanes of traffic. These accidents often lead to more serious outcomes, including severe injuries or fatalities.
Common Injuries Caused by Sideswipe Car Accidents
These are just a few examples of common sidewipe collision injuries:
- Whiplash, which occurs when the head is forcefully jerked back and forth or side to side, and causes damage to the neck’s tissues
- Concussion, a type of brain injury caused by the brain hitting the skull with significant force
- Broken bones, including arms, legs, ribs, pelvis, and collarbone
- Bruises, scrapes, and cuts from contact with objects inside the vehicle
- Spinal cord injuries, which can result in paralysis or loss of sensation and movement
- Other neck and back injuries, such as herniated discs or muscle strains
Causes of Sideswipe Accidents
Sideswipe crashes often result from driver negligence, such as driving while distracted, drowsy, or intoxicated. Road conditions also contribute to sideswipe collisions. For instance, icy roads during Minnesota’s harsh winters can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicle and collide with a vehicle next to them. Minnesotans also encounter significant fog in the spring and fall, which can impact motorists’ visibility.
Minnesota’s growing population also means construction zones are common. If a construction zone is poorly marked, drivers may be caught off guard and be forced to swerve abruptly into another lane.
These conditions can increase the chances of a sideswipe accident, especially when drivers aren’t as cautious or attentive as they should be.
Common Driver Behaviors That Lead to Sideswipe Accidents
Common causes of sideswipe accidents include:
- Distracted driving, such as texting or otherwise using a phone, eating, or tending to passengers while driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Speeding
- Failure to check mirrors and blind spots before switching lanes or merging onto a highway
- Drowsy driving
- Failure to signal before changing lanes or turning
- Following too closely, which can cause drivers to suddenly swerve if traffic stops in front of them
- Making an unsafe left or right turn into oncoming traffic
Many of these behaviors can be traffic law violations. For instance, Minnesota law requires drivers to signal at least 100 feet before making a left or right turn. If a driver’s violation causes a sideswipe, it may make them liable for injuries.
How Can You Protect Yourself From Sideswipe Accidents?
Safe driving behaviors play a key role in sideswipe accident prevention. While not all collisions are preventable, you can reduce your risk of being involved in one by keeping these car accident safety tips in mind:
- Always use turn signals before changing lanes, merging into traffic, and turning.
- Check blind spots and all mirrors before making lane changes.
- Keep your windows and mirrors clean to improve visibility from all angles.
- Ensure there’s a large enough gap in traffic before merging into another lane.
- Maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you.
- Pay attention to signs indicating that the lane will end soon, and avoid waiting until the last second to change lanes.
- Don’t exceed the posted speed limit.
- Check the weather before heading out, and consider staying home if you don’t feel comfortable driving in current conditions.
- Only drive while alert and sober; use alternative transportation options if you’re drowsy or intoxicated.
Legal Options After a Sideswipe Accident
Minnesota is a no-fault accident state. That means all drivers must have personal injury protection coverage, which pays for your damages no matter who’s at fault.
While PIP simplifies the claims process after an accident, getting fair compensation can still be challenging. Insurance companies don’t benefit from paying you what you deserve. Your PIP insurer may try to minimize your injuries, blame them on a preexisting condition, or convince you to say something that hurts your claim.
Your PIP coverage limits may also be inadequate to cover your losses. In that case, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver. Our team of attorneys can provide sideswipe accident legal advice tailored to your unique circumstances.
We can help you determine if you qualify for a fault-based claim and demonstrate the other party’s negligence. Our skilled personal injury lawyers can protect you from the insurance company’s tactics.
Contact Our Lawyers for Help With Your Sideswipe Accident Claim
If you or a loved one was injured in a sideswipe crash, you deserve fair compensation for your losses. Sieben Polk P.A. is here to guide you through the legal process of filing a claim. Our sideswipe accident lawyers can help you seek maximum compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Contact us today or call 651-437-3148 for a free consultation. You pay us nothing unless we win, so there’s no risk in reaching out for help.
