Usually, drivers only spend a few moments backing up their vehicles. However, these few moments leave drivers vulnerable to collisions. Determining which driver is to blame for an accident in this scenario might be challenging.
In accidents involving a driver backing up during the accident, either party might bear some responsibility. Sometimes, the driver backing up is at fault because they were not being mindful of traffic behind them or backed up in a place they were not allowed to. On the other hand, the second driver might be to blame if they failed to give the other driver room to back up or rear-ended a driver in reverse because they were not watching the road ahead of them. Determining who is at fault requires examining all aspects of the accidents. Where did it happen? How fast were the drivers going? Is driving in reverse allowed in the area where the crash happened? Talk to a lawyer immediately about your accident to determine who is responsible for it and how you can get fair compensation.
For a confidential, free review of your case, call (410) 694-7291 and speak with our Maryland car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.
Who is Responsible for a Crash Where a Driver Was Backing Up in Maryland?
It can be difficult to see everything behind you, and drivers sometimes rely on oncoming drivers to be aware of what they are doing and slow down so they can safely back up. Unfortunately, things do not always go this smoothly. In some cases, the driver backing up is responsible for the collisions. In other cases, the oncoming driver is at fault. Our Baltimore car accident lawyers can review evidence from the crash and help you determine who is at fault.
The Person Backing Up
The person backing up might be responsible for a crash under a variety of circumstances. First, the driver backing up might be responsible for a crash if they were backing up somewhere they should not have been. For example, backing up in a parking lot is normal and expected. Backing up on the highway is unexpected and often illegal. If the driver who was backing up at the time of crash should not have been doing so, they might be at fault.
Another possibility is that the driver backing up failed to check their surroundings. When reversing, a driver should check their mirrors and blind spots before they start moving. Backing out of a parking space can be dangerous if drivers do not check their surroundings.
We should also consider whether the driver in reverse had working taillights. If their taillights are out, drivers behind them might not know they are backing up and end up rear ending them.
Like many accidents, speed might be an important factor to consider. If the driver backing up reversed way too fast, they might be responsible if they collide with another car. This is common in parking lots where negligent drivers back up too quickly and hit another parked car.
The Other Driver
The driver backing up during an accident is not always to blame. Often, the other driver in the accident should be held responsible.
A common cause of accidents, including those where a driver is backing up, is distracted driving. Perhaps one driver was backing out of a parking spot, but another driver was not paying attention and hit them as they backed up. Cell phones, GPS devices, the radio, and even passengers can be major distractions.
Speeding drivers might be to blame if they crash into a driver who is backing up. Often, this kind of thing happens in places like parking lots or garages where traffic should be slower because drivers are coming and going so frequently. It is easy to hit a car in reverse when you are speeding through the parking area.
Determining Fault in a Car Accident Where One Driver Was Backing Up
After an accident, how can you work to prove the other driver was at fault? In accidents where one driver was backing up, there are certain pieces of evidence we should try to obtain to prove your claims.
First, we should find witnesses who might testify about what they saw. Depending on where your accident happened, quite a few people in the area might have seen the collision. If you do not know of any witnesses, we can check with the police to see if they spoke to them when collecting information for a crash report.
We should also look into getting video footage from security cameras and dashcams. Many accidents involving a driver backing up happen in garages or parking lots. Often, these parking areas are monitored by cameras. If the collision was caught on camera, the video evidence might be crucial to proving who is at fault. Alternatively, if you had a dashcam in your car, or if the other driver had one, we can use that footage to piece together exactly what happened.
Where and How Do Accidents Involving Backing Up Vehicles Happen?
As mentioned before, many car accidents involving vehicles in reverse or backing up happen in parking areas where drivers have to pull in and out of parking spaces. However, this is not the only possible location for such an accident.
Many collisions happen when someone backs out of their driveway onto a residential street. If oncoming drivers are not paying attention or if the backing-up driver has not checked to see if the road is clear, a collision might occur.
These crashes also happen on public streets and highways. Perhaps a driver came to a stop a little too far into the intersection, so they try to back up a bit so they are not in the way of oncoming traffic. They might back right up into a car behind them because drivers are not expected or allowed to reverse on these roads. This is also a common problem when a driver misses a turn or an exit, so they try to back up instead of continuing to the next turn or exit.
Speak to Our Maryland Car Accident Attorneys Now
For a confidential, free review of your case, call (410) 694-7291 and speak with our Aberdeen car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras.