When a car is swiped in car accident terms it means the car was side swiped which means the sides of two cars made impact which can happen as the 2 vehicles travel in the same direction or in opposite directions.
Sideswipe accidents most commonly happen when one vehicle begins moving into another vehicles lane without paying attention.
In vehicle accident terms side swept means to come up against a persons vehicle when changing lanes and making contact with the side of the vehicle which can cause damage or cause the vehicle or even your vehicle to go out of control.
When you sideswipe a car then the impact will cause relatively minor damage such as dents and scratches in the side of the car and sometimes sideswipe accidents can trigger other destructive accidents including broadside collisions, vehicle rollovers and sometimes head on collisions.
The driver who merged into the lane is at fault in a side swipe accident as the driver must pay attention to the surroundings and make sure it's safe to merge into a lane.
When two cars attempt to merge into the same lane at the same time, the drivers may share responsibility for the accident.
The circumstances of the crash will determine the level of liability for each driver.
The scenarios for sideswipe accidents include.
Distracted driver texting, paying attention to a device, eating or engaging in personal grooming.
Fatigued driver who temporarily falls asleep at the wheel, veering into the other lane.
High-clearance vehicle that fails to look for smaller vehicle next to them during a lane change.
Intoxicated driver that fails to maintain their lane.
Angry driver who purposefully sideswipes another car in a fit of road rage.
Merging sideswipe, when a car merges onto another road or highway and fails to yield.
The fault in a sideswipe accident is determined by finding out what driver changed lanes.
The driver that changed lanes is the one who is at fault for a side swipe accident as before the driver changes lanes they must ensure that it is safe to change lanes.
The driver must make sure that there is plenty of room to enter the other lane.
After a sideswipe accident you should call the police and file a car accident report and then exchange information with the other driver which includes license plate numbers, drivers license numbers, insurance information, name and address.
Also you should take photos of the car and the location that the sideswipe occurred for later if needed.
When someone sideswipes you, then you should call the police to file a car accident report and if the person who sideswiped you is still with you then you should exchange insurance information and contact your insurance as soon as possible.
If you sideswipe a car and leave then it's called a hit and run which can land you in jail if the person can prove you sideswiped the car and left.
If you sideswipe a vehicle then you should always come back to and stay at the scene of the accident and call the police to report the accident and exchange information.
Car insurance does cover a sideswipe car accident if you know who sideswiped you or you can prove who sideswiped you and caused the damage.
If you don't know who sideswiped you and can't prove who sideswiped your car and you have collision or UMPD insurance coverage then the car insurance should cover the damages caused by the sideswipe.
In most cases, the driver who drifts out of their lane will typically be assigned the blame and be at fault for the sideswipe.
Drivers must stay in their own lane, and only move into another one when they know it's safe to do so.
People involved in a sideswipe accident can suffer serious internal injuries; broken arms, knees, or legs; or injuries to the back, neck, or head.
These types of injuries are not always readily apparent, so it's crucial that victims get checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible.
According to data from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), there are 242,000 sideswipe crashes each year.
More than 2,500 fatalities each year and about 27,000 injuries result from sideswipe accidents.
Sideswipe collisions account for 2.7 percent of fatal crashes of all types.
Many sideswipe accidents occur as a result of a driver in another lane losing control of their vehicle, causing them to sideswipe others on the road.
For example, if a driver is driving too fast through the inside of a curve, they may drift into the outside lane and collide with another vehicle.
If a driver crosses a lane division line or the center line and sideswipes you while you are traveling legally in your lane, they are at fault for the crash.
If both vehicles have crossed a painted line, then the two cars are equally to blame for the crash.
If someone sideswipes you and your car is able to be driven, move it off the road to a safe place and put on your hazard lights.
Call the police and file a report.
Exchange information with the other driver including name, address, vehicle information, license plate numbers, driver's license numbers and insurance carrier information.
Most sideswipe collisions occur due to unsafe lane changes caused by a driver failing to signal or check their mirrors and then attempting to move into a lane already occupied by another vehicle.
However, numerous other factors can cause or contribute to sideswipe collisions, including: Speeding.