By Pendergast Law on July 11, 2016
Imagine you’re driving down Interstate 5 through Seattle, and all you want to do is move over a lane or two. You make your move, and suddenly things start happening very quickly. A crash occurs and within seconds, it can have catastrophic effects. So what happened? What went wrong?
Improper lane changes are one of the top causes of motor vehicle accidents in the United States. But most people who find themselves in the situation don’t know what happened and so, it’s impossible to know how to keep it from happening again in the future. The top causes of Seattle motor vehicle lane change accidents include:
- Not signalling. You need to let all drivers on the road know when you’re going to be moving your vehicle. Even if you don’t think there are other drivers around you, always make sure you signal before making any lane changes. This way, even if you can’t prevent an accident, the driver in your blind spot might be able to.
- Signalling after starting to make the change. It’s not just important that you signal, it’s important when you signal. Always be sure to turn your signal on before you’ve even attempted to move your car over the line. If not, you might as well not even have put your signal on at all.
- Cutting people off. Even if a car in your blind spot can brake hard to avoid running into your vehicle, that hard brake might not leave enough room for the car behind them to brake before hitting them. Always make sure there’s plenty of room between you and any cars in the other lane to avoid cutting people off and forcing them to slow down or stop suddenly.
- Road conditions. Slippery and wet roads can cause things to go wrong in a car, whether you’re making a lane change or not. But because you’ll be changing the position of the car and the tires, road conditions can make lane changes especially unpredictable. While there’s not much you can do about the condition of the road, you can ensure you know safe driving techniques and how to handle bad weather or conditions.
- Large vehicles. Of course, the larger your vehicle, the harder it will be to see all the way around it while inside. The best way to ensure safe lane changes when driving a large vehicle are to install proper blind proof mirrors.
At Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S., we know that improper lane changes are all too easy to make, and that it happens all too often. If you’ve been the victim of a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, we can help. Car accidents can have devastating results, and can keep you from earning income while collecting medical bills. After a car accident, you have enough to deal with. Let us take care of the legal legwork that will get you the compensation you deserve. Contact Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. today at 888-539-9211.