It’s easy to let your guard down in a parking lot, but accidents here can be just as serious as those on the open road. Every year in Florida, over 53,000 people are involved in parking lot crashes caused by distracted drivers, careless reversals, and right-of-way violations.
If you were hurt in a parking lot accident, you may be wondering who’s at fault, how insurance works, and whether you have a claim. At Hancock Injury Attorneys, we help clients navigate exactly these kinds of cases, and we’re here to make sure you don’t get stuck with the consequences of someone else’s negligence.
Common Causes of Parking Lot Accidents
Parking lots may seem low-risk because of their slow speeds, but they’re a common site for accidents, and they’re often the result of careless or distracted driving. Drivers tend to let their guard down in these areas, which can quickly lead to preventable collisions and serious injuries. Some of the most common causes we see include:
- Failure to Yield the Right of Way: Many drivers ignore posted signs or fail to understand that vehicles in the main lane of travel generally have the right of way over cars backing out or entering from side aisles.
- Distracted Driving: Texting, adjusting the GPS, or looking for a parking space can easily take a driver’s focus off the vehicles or pedestrians around them.
- Reversing Without Looking: Accidents often happen when a driver backs out of a space without checking for oncoming traffic or people walking behind the vehicle.
- Speeding in a Parking Lot: Even though most lots have unposted speed limits of 10-15 mph, drivers in a hurry may treat them like through streets, making any collision more dangerous.
- Cutting Across Parking Rows: Some drivers bypass travel lanes by cutting diagonally through empty spaces, creating unexpected hazards for other drivers and pedestrians.
- Poor Visibility and Blind Spots: Tight spaces, larger vehicles, and poor lighting can all make it harder to see other drivers, shopping carts, or pedestrians, especially children.
- Aggressive or Impatient Driving: Fights over parking spaces and aggressive behavior behind the wheel are more common than you might think in crowded lots.
Understanding the cause of a parking lot crash is the first step in determining liability. If you were injured in one of these situations, you may have a strong claim for damages.
Shared Fault Is Common in Parking Lot Accidents
Many parking lot collisions involve both parties in motion, making it more likely that insurers will argue comparative fault. Florida follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which may reduce your compensation if you’re found partially responsible. However, as long as you were less than 50% at fault, you can still recover damages.
Why Parking Lot Accidents Can Still Cause Serious Injuries
It’s a common misconception that for a car crash to cause serious injury or even fatalities, the crash must have been at a high speed. In reality, serious bodily harm can come from low-speed car crashes that happen in parking lots.
What do we mean by “low-speed”? In Florida, low-speed car crashes are defined as crashes when all vehicles involved are traveling between 1 and 10 MPH and do not involve any pedestrians. This includes cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, trains, low-speed vehicles, semi-trucks, ATVs, and other transport vehicles.
These crashes also may include crash types, including going into bodies of water, occupants injured in the back of trucks, and large vehicles such as semi-trucks hitting smaller vehicles like motorcycles or mopeds. It is crucial for drivers to understand that just because they are driving at a low speed in a parking lot, it doesn’t mean they can’t cause injuries and even death.
How Insurance Claims Work for Parking Lot Accidents
Even though most parking lot accidents happen at low speeds, they can still cause real injuries—and real financial stress.
When it comes to recovering compensation, the claims process isn’t always straightforward. Our lawyers have expertise in car accident claims in Tampa, and we have noticed some common themes in these cases. Most insurance companies look for ways to pay as little money as possible to the insured party. This is true even for your own insurance company.
The insurance companies may attempt to lower the settlement value of car accident claims by invoking the comparative fault law mentioned above. For example, suppose someone unexpectedly pulls out of a business’s parking lot, causing you to strike the side of their car. In that case, the driver’s insurance company will do everything in its power to minimize the insured’s fault.
The company might argue that you should have been paying more attention or driving more slowly. The insurer might state that their client is only 60 percent responsible for the accident, leaving you with an inadequate amount of compensation.
In situations such as these, you need a determined lawyer to stand up for your rights. Attorney Mike Hancock worked for insurance companies early on in his career, so he knows how to handle these types of claims. Do not let an insurance company pressure you into accepting a low settlement when you know the other driver is liable for your injuries.
What If the Other Driver Left the Scene?
Vehicles may collide in parking lots while maneuvering in tight spaces. Drivers who hit parked cars or other vehicles in these areas may leave the scene to avoid dealing with the aftermath, especially if the damage is minor or if they don’t want to face potential legal issues. In Florida, this is one of the many reasons to carry uninsured motorist coverage (UM) on your own auto insurance.
After a car accident caused by someone who has left the scene, our attorneys will take a close look at your own insurance policy. If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, our law firm will make a claim against your own insurance company for your damages that arise out of this hit-and-run accident. Call us at 813-915-1110 to schedule your free case consultation today.