Katy Sideswipe Accident Attorney
With so many multi-lane roads and vast highways in and around Katy, sideswipe accidents are extremely common. They generally occur when two vehicles are traveling in the same direction, vying for the same lane. Common causes are speeding, texting while driving, and failure to check side view mirrors. If you were injured in a sideswipe accident, you can hold the negligent driver accountable by filling a lawsuit against them. The West Law Office Katy sideswipe accident attorneys are standing by to look at your case and point you in the right direction so that you can maximize your compensation.
Definition of a Sideswipe Accident
Sideswipe collisions occur when both vehicles make contact at their sides. This can happen in two ways:
- Two vehicles were traveling the same direction collide; and
- Two vehicles were traveling the opposite direction.
Either type of sideswipe collision can cause serious injuries. However, a head-on sideswipe has roughly twice the impact force. As such, more serious injuries are likely to occur during head-on sideswipe collisions. However, a sideswipe collision that occurs at high speed, such as on the highway, can result in a secondary collision with another vehicle, or even a rollover crash.
How Sideswipe Accidents Happen
Just about all sideswipe crashes stem from a failure to yield right of way. Failure to yield essentially means that the negligent driver should have waited or halted before cutting into that lane of traffic. This can happen at an intersection, a T-intersection in which the larger road has no stop sign, freeway interchanges, on and off ramps, and within a multi-lane road. The most common ways that sideswipe accidents occur include the following:
- Lane changes—Drivers wishing to change lanes must yield right of way to vehicles already in that lane. This should go without saying, but dangerous and rapid lane changes are commonplace on surface streets and highways. Many drivers fail to use their turn signals, while others do not even look over their shoulders or into their mirrors. These acts of negligence can lead to serious injuries or fatalities.
- Merging—Merging onto the highway can be difficult during rush hour or if the onramp is dangerously short. However, traffic merging onto the highway must always yield right of way to the vehicles already in the right hand lane. An exception, when the merging driver may not be found at fault, is if another driver made a last second lane change after the merging driver had already initiated their move, or if the driver already in the right hand lane was speeding excessively.
- Drifting Out of the Lane—When a driver drifts out of their lane and sideswipes the vehicle next to them, it is usually caused by one of the three following behaviors: texting while driving, drunk driving, or falling asleep at the wheel.
Contact a Katy Sideswipe Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one were injured in a sideswipe accident, we urge you to seek legal consultation at once. Do not hesitate to contact the Katy sideswipe accident attorneys at The West Law Office today at 283-347-3247 to schedule a free consultation.
