Who is At-Fault in a Parking Lot Car Accident?

Vehicle accidents can occur anywhere, even in parking lots. However, determining fault in the aftermath of a parking lot accident in Kentucky can be challenging. Here, we want to discuss the various factors that play a role in determining parking lot accident liability. This is important because any person who sustains injuries or property damage caused by another driver should be able to recover compensation for their losses. Contact an injury lawyer in Lexington to learn more. 

Fault in a Parking Lot Crash in Kentucky

Parking lots are unavoidable. They are everywhere, even though we don’t really put much thought into them. However, parking lots can be hives of activity. When you go into a parking lot, not only will you have to contend with the rows of cars, but you also have to worry about pedestrians, bicyclists, and “through lanes” where other drivers are circling the perimeter of the parking lot, often at a high rate of speed.

If a vehicle is in a “through lane” around the perimeter of the parking lot, they will generally have the right of way. Drivers approaching these through lanes from the parking lanes should yield the right of way to the drivers in the through lane. If a driver fails to yield the right of way when leaving a parking lane, and they strike another vehicle, then that driver will likely be at fault for the incident.

However, many parking lot accidents occur between two vehicles inside the parking lanes. Vehicles traveling down a parking lot lane have the right of way over vehicles backing out of a parking space. Typically, accidents in parking lots occur when one or more vehicles are in reverse. When this occurs, the driver backing out of a parking space will usually be at fault if they strike another vehicle moving down the parking lane.

However, if two or more vehicles are backing out of a parking space and strike one another, determining fault will be more challenging. In these scenarios, more than one driver could share liability for the incident. All drivers backing out of a parking space have a responsibility to ensure that the space behind them is clear before they proceed. When one vehicle has already started to back up, any other vehicles in the area should wait for them to finish before they begin reversing. In other words, a vehicle that begins backing out first will have the right of way.

In a parking lot, pedestrians typically have the right of way over all other vehicles, regardless of whether or not there are any marked pedestrian crosswalks.

You May Need an Attorney

If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury or property damage in a parking lot crash in Kentucky, you may need to work with a Lexington car accident attorney to recover compensation for your losses. The reality is that parking lot crashes can be complicated, and not all of them are minor. Parking lot crashes can lead to severe injuries, and an attorney can help recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and property damage expenses. An attorney can investigate the incident and obtain the evidence needed to prove liability. Often, this means working with property owners to obtain any video surveillance footage of the parking lot. Contact an accident attorney today for a private consultation.