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ChatDid you know that almost one-third of all car accidents involve a rear-end accident of some kind? In today’s blog, I discuss what a rear-end accident while parked is, including what to do and how to help prevent them.
At our firm, we have combined decades of legal experience handling personal injury car accident cases throughout our Rhode Island and Massachusetts communities. We are local and passionate about helping people and offer a free 24/7 case review.
Distracted drivers cause nearly 9 out of 10 rear-end car accidents. If a driver is not paying attention to the road ahead because they are distracted, they won’t notice a vehicle stopped ahead and cannot brake in time to prevent a car accident.
What Is A Parked Car Accident? Do I Need A Personal Injury Lawyer?
A parked car accident simply refers to a car accident involving one or more cars that are in park (not moving) when a collision occurs. If you suffer a personal injury from a parked car accident, then call or text us for a free case review.
Why? Because insurance and medical billing companies are looking out for their own financial interests. They have no obligation to give you the full story on your legal rights.
Have you seen someone driving too fast or carelessly through a parking lot or someone walking through parked spaces without looking? These distracted and careless drivers are the cause of so many rear-end accidents that occur even when parked.
As many as 1 in 5 accidents occur in parking lots. The National Safety Council estimates that two-thirds of drivers are distracted driving in common areas such as parking lots. An average of 60,000 people are injured, and 500 more are killed in parking lot garage accidents each year.
Many rear-end car accidents, and other types of car accidents, occur in parking lots.
Some of the most common types of parked car accidents include:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- T-Bone crashes
- Sideswipe accidents
- Dooring accidents
- Backing up accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
What Should I Do After Suffering A Rear-End Car Accident While Parked? Get Bottaro Personal Injury Lawyers On Your Side!
If someone hits your parked car, whether you are in it or not, you should treat it like any other car accident. One of the most important things to do is to not move the car and try to locate the person who hit your vehicle.
Once you are safe and locate the at-fault driver, call us to handle your legal rights.
Hopefully, you can determine who hit the vehicle and exchange information with them. Most importantly, call the local authorities and file a police report, just like in any other car accident. If you or a loved one were in the vehicle at the time of the rear-end accident while parked, get checked out by a primary care physician or urgent care as soon possible.
Head, neck, and back injuries are extremely common when it comes to rear-end accidents, especially if you are struck when stopped completely. When someone hits you while you are stopped completely, you take on the full force of impact.
Depending on the severity of the rear-end collision, traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries can occur. If not checked immediately, internal bleeding can cause long-term issues. Even what seems to be the most minor rear-end accident can cause chronic pain, lost time from work, and costly medical bills.
What Can I Do To Help Prevent A Rear-End Accident While Parked?
First, be more cautious where you are parking or pulling over. Are you puling over somewhere safe?
One of the most important things we can do is not park on the side of the highway. Legally, you cannot park on the travel portion of the highway. You also cannot park on the sidewalk in an intersection or crosswalk. In fact, you must be at least 20 feet away from the crosswalk at an intersection.
You cannot park within 8ft of a fire hydrant, or within 30ft of a flashing beacon, stop sign, or traffic light. If you are parking on the same side of the street as a fire station, you must be 20ft from its entrance. If there are signs and you are on the other side of the road, you will have to park at least 75ft away.
Stay vigilant when trying to park. Looked out for signs and marked spots. If a careless driver rear-ends you, call us immediately!
Towns and cities sometimes prohibit parking in designated areas. In some cases, towns and cities may have their own rules based on the laws from the state. Rhode Island parking laws are to keep drivers in Rhode Island safe. Failure to abide by the community laws can result in fines, towed vehicles, or car accidents. If someone rear-ends you or a loved one while parked, call us right away and we will help you with your case!
It’s Good to Know Mike Bottaro – 24/7 Top-Rated Personal Injury Help
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we care for people. Attorney Mike Bottaro and his award-winning legal team handle all types of personal injury cases throughout Rhode Island and other parts of Massachusetts. We can even help on cases in other states as well. We pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity, and results. Contact us 24/7 in any method you prefer for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Text or call us at 401-777-7777, or fill out our free and confidential online form. We are here to serve and help you!
