When people hear “sideswipe” they tend to think of minor scrapes on the side of a car or a parking lot mishap that causes property damage and inconvenience, but when sideswipe accidents occur on high-speed highways, they sometimes result in serious or even catastrophic accidents. Data from the National Safety Council reveals that sideswipe accidents make up only 8.2% of two-car collisions but cause around1,600 deaths per year.
Sideswipes occur when two cars traveling in the same or opposite directions collide with a glancing blow along the sides of both vehicles, sometimes resulting in one or both drivers losing control and having a serious accident.
Common Types of Sideswipe Accidents
When two vehicles brush against each other while traveling at full speed, the result can be a serious accident. There are several typical types of dangerous sideswipe accidents. Common ways sideswipes occur include:
- Improper passing
- Blindspot sideswipes while changing lanes
- Improperly merging and hitting another vehicle
- A driver drifts into another lane due to distraction, drowsiness, or intoxication
A sudden sideswipe can send a vehicle out of its lane and cause a secondary collision or a roadway departure accident. In some cases, it causes one or both drivers to over-correct and lose control. Depending on the speed of both vehicles and the crash force of the sideswipe, one or both cars could also experience a rollover accident.
Why Are Sideswipe Accidents Particularly Dangerous?
The two most common places for sideswipes to occur are in parking lots or on high-speed, multi-lane highways. Though parking lot fender benders don’t often result in injuries, those that occur on major highways can be catastrophic or deadly. The side panels and door of a car are the thinnest portion of its structure, lacking the built-in buffer zones in the front and back of vehicles that help absorb shock. Because a sideswipe often occurs during lane changes at high speeds on multi-lane highways, a sideswipe could lead to one or both cars glancing off each other and crashing into vehicles traveling in parallel lanes, quickly becoming multi-car accidents.
What Injuries Occur In Sideswipe Accidents?
Depending on the speed of both vehicles, the force of the impact, and what results after the initial sideswipe when drivers may lose control, this type of accident can cause injuries ranging in severity from mild to severe or catastrophic. Common injuries in sideswipe accidents include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Back injuries
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Injuries to shoulders, knees, wrists, and ankles
- Thoracic injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations, abrasions, and contusions
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Facial trauma
Data shows that opposite-direction sideswipes occur more often than same-direction sideswipe accidents, often when one vehicle takes a wide turn or swings out of its lane while navigating a curve.
What to Do After a Sideswipe Accident?
In fault-based insurance states like South Carolina, it’s necessary to prove another driver’s liability to recover damages like medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering. After an accident, if you aren’t too badly injured to take action, you or an uninjured person can document evidence using your phone. First, call 911 to report the accident. Then, take photos of the damaged vehicles and the accident scene. Add the contact information of the other driver and any eyewitnesses to the accident.
Always go directly to a hospital and undergo a thorough evaluation with a detailed medical report to prove that the injuries occurred in the accident and require treatment.
How Can a Sideswipe Accident Lawyer in Georgia Help?
You shouldn’t have to handle a complex legal process alone. Call Marc Brown Law Firm for the experienced Atlanta car accident representation you need to get the most out of your compensation claim. We take a results-oriented approach to all cases and seek the largest possible settlement or court award for every client.