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Unfortunately, parking lot accidents can and do happen from time to time. It’s important to realize that they can affect your car insurance premiums just as much as any other accident. Parking lot accidents tend to be reported less since frequently since they are usually relatively minor incidents, but they can be every bit as significant to your driving and insurance records.
Sometimes it can be difficult to determine who is at fault in a parking lot accident, since the rules of the lot are not as well known as the rules of the road. In addition, if there are no witnesses it often comes down to one driver’s word against the other. Here are some rules to help you determine who is at fault in a parking lot accident.
1. Drivers in the thoroughfare, the lane of the parking lot that leads out to the main road or highway outside of the parking lot, have the right of way always. Drivers who are in the feeder lanes, the lanes that run through the parking lot and up and down the aisles where there are parking spots, are responsible to yield to drivers in the thoroughfare lane. If you are driving in a feeder lane, be sure to wait for drivers in the thoroughfare to pass before you pull out into traffic.
2. Drivers who are in parking spaces are responsible to yield to other traffic. This means that whether you are pulling in or out of a parking space, you should check your surroundings carefully to make sure there is no other traffic.
3. When you are in a parking lot and you run into a parked car, you are at fault in that wreck. Any car that is legally parked in the parking lot is not responsible for your driving. If the car is parked wrong ” in an illegal way or sticking out into the lane ” they might be held responsible. Take a picture of the car if you hit one and think it is in the wrong.
4.You must follow all signs in the parking lot. You are automatically at fault if you are in an accident as a result of failing to follow the directions of a traffic sign in the parking lot such as a stop or yield sign, or if you fail to follow the directions of a police officer.
5. If you hit the open door of a car, the driver who opened the door is at fault. It is the responsibility of the person opening a car door to ensure that there is no traffic approaching before they do so.
What should you do after a parking lot accident?
When you are in a parking lot accident, you should first and foremost treat it like any other car accident. Go through the same steps that you would go through in any other car wreck ” exchange information, take pictures, and call the police if there is extensive damage. You should always file an insurance claim when you are in a car accident, if you don’t, your insurance company has the right to terminate your policy. Some people want to pay for minor damage, like most parking lot accidents cause, out of their own pocket. That is ok, as long as you are on the same page with the other person involved in the accident.
Most people drive in parking lots almost every day. Now you know some of the rules of parking lots and can start driving safer and more aware while you are in them and doing all you can to avoid a wreck during your daily errands and commute. Yield where appropriate and be courteous always, this will keep your parking lot driving safe and simple.
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