Backover car accidents are so common that most automobile manufacturers consider rear-facing cameras a practical necessity. However, our Washington semi truck accident even advances in modern technology have failed to drastically reduce the annual death and injury toll of these tragic and often preventable accidents.
How Do Backover Car Accidents Happen?
A backover car accident happens when a motorist who is reversing their vehicle causes a collision. A backover car accident could occur when:
- An inattentive or distracted motorist reverses out of their driveway into oncoming traffic.
- A driver who missed a turn attempts to back up from a stop sign or traffic control signal without realizing there is a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcycle rider behind them.
- An apartment resident or shopper pulls out of a parking spot without checking behind them.
Who Is Most Likely to Get Injured in a Backover Automobile Collision?
Backover car crashes are most likely to affect:
- Children
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
- Motorcycle riders
Where Do Backover Car Accidents Most Often Occur?
Perhaps not surprisingly, backovers most often occur in non-traffic conditions. These accidents are frequently reported in:
- Driveways
- Residential areas
- City streets
- Nonresidential parking lots
How Common Are Backover Car Accidents?
Unfortunately, while backover accidents are almost always preventable, they happen with alarming regularity. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
- An estimated 292 people are killed in backover car accidents each and every year.
- An additional 13,000 to 14,000 people are injured in backover collisions annually.
While semi-trucks and other heavy, commercial vehicles are responsible for a disproportionate number of backover-related facilities, these accidents are most often caused by ordinary passenger vehicles.
Are Backover Car Accident Injuries Serious?
While most backover car accidents happen at relatively low speeds, they can still have devastating consequences. Common backover car accident injuries include but are not limited to:
- Serious bruises and contusions
- Cuts, scrapes, and lacerations
- Road rash
- Broken or fractured bones
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal organ injuries
- Amputation
Children are at especially high risk for sustaining serious backover car accident injuries, since the at-fault motorist may not be immediately aware that they have caused an accident.
How Can I Demonstrate Fault After a Backover Car Accident?
If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a Washington backover car accident that was not your fault, you could be entitled to significant compensation through an insurance settlement or personal injury claim. You could bolster your chances of making a successful legal recovery by:
- Seeking immediate medical attention. Even if you do not believe the backover accident caused any serious injuries, you should always seek medical attention after being involved in a backover collision.
- Collecting evidence. If you do not require emergency medical services, you could take photographs of the accident site, as well as any visible injuries or property damage caused by the at-fault motorist.
- Speaking to eyewitnesses. If you believe that another person may have witnessed the backover accident, ask them for their full name, phone number, and other contact information.
- Contacting an attorney. You likely stand your best chance of making a comprehensive recovery when you have a Washington personal injury attorney on your side. Even if you were not able to gather evidence after the incident, Max Meyers Law could immediately dispatch professional investigators to review the circumstances of your accident and begin creating a compelling case for recovery.
While these accidents can have long-lasting effects, Max Meyers Law believes that nobody should have to bear the financial burden of another person’s negligence. Our experienced attorneys could help you fight for fair compensation, hold a wrongdoer accountable for their misconduct, and secure the settlement you need to begin rebuilding your life after a tragic and preventable accident.
