A “sideswipe” car accident happens when the side of one vehicle brushes or scrapes the side of another while driving side by side. Even though these collisions might seem like harmless fender-benders, they can lead to serious consequences—especially on highways, where cars travel fast.
How Is a Sideswipe Different from Other Crashes?
Sideswipes do not look like your typical rear-end or T-bone collisions. Instead, when your vehicle and another one make contact along their sides, it can lead to sudden swerves, rollovers, or multi-car pileups.
Why Do Sideswipes Happen?
Most sideswipe crashes come down to simple human mistakes:
- Changing lanes without checking blind spots
- Drifting in your lane when distracted by a phone or GPS
- Trying to merge too quickly or aggressively
- Driving while tired or under the influence
Bad weather and slick roads can make the consequences of these errors even more dangerous.
What Kinds of Injuries Can Occur?
Even a low-speed sideswipe can lead to the following injuries:
- Whiplash and neck strain
- Back and spine injuries from sudden twisting
- Head bumps that cause concussions
- Broken ribs or arm fractures if you are thrown against the door
- Hidden internal injuries that do not show symptoms right away
Thankfully, New Jersey victims are able to turn to their Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage for their medical costs, regardless of who caused the accident. And if their injuries reach a certain severity threshold, they can also file a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation for their pain and suffering.
Who Is Usually at Fault?
In most cases, the driver who drifts out of their lane without looking or signaling bears responsibility for the sideswipe accident. But if both cars move at the same time—or if something else forces one car into another—it can be tricky to determine who caused the collision. Investigators often look at skid marks, car damage, witness accounts, and police reports to figure out what happened and who should be held liable.
How Can You Avoid Sideswipes?
In order to avoid sideswipe accidents, always check your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes, signal your turns and lane changes early, stay out of other drivers’ blind spots whenever possible, keep your eyes on the road, and give yourself plenty of space in heavy traffic.
Get Legal Support from Our Linwood Car Accident Lawyers at D’Amato Law Firm if You Have Suffered Injuries in a Sideswipe Incident
If you have gotten into a sideswipe accident and need to figure out your next steps, turn to our Linwood car accident lawyers at D’Amato Law Firm to answer all your questions and stand up for you. For a free consultation, call us today at 609-926-3300 or submit our online form. Located in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients in Atlantic City, Linwood, Galloway Township, Cape May, Vineland, Millville, Bridgeton, Ocean City, Woodbury, and South Jersey.