Sideswipe Accidents Lawyer in Oxnard

A sideswipe accident is when two vehicles crash into each other while traveling in the same direction, and one side of one car comes in contact with the closest side of the car next to it. Both the impact and the drivers’ desire to correct their vehicles, even though adrenaline is rushing, will cause them to overcompensate. Meanwhile, other drivers nearby might be wondering how to get out of the way before they get hit by one of the swerving vehicles. These accidents typically happen within seconds, but the amount of chaos that can ensue can leave victims with injuries that take years to recover from. 

After A Sideswipe Accident

First, call 911 and check to see if there is anyone who has been injured. Stay at the site until the police show up. If you are offered medical treatment, accept it. Be sure to get a copy of the police report, which will be needed when you contact the insurance company of the at-fault driver and a sideswipe accident attorney.

Reducing Sideswipe Accidents in Oxnard

We are all accountable to each other when we get behind the wheel. Some roads are more precarious than others, which is why it is so important to be on the lookout for yield signs, to pay attention when getting on and off the expressway, always drive carefully around construction or where new traffic patterns exist.

Some causes of sideswipe accidents include:

• While merging on or off the highway

• When another car fails to yield while merging

• Texting or talking on the phone while driving

• Eating, grooming, or doing anything else behind the wheel that the driver is paying attention to.

• Blind spots, or not checking thoroughly before changing lanes. More broadly, this could be due to an inability to focus due to fatigue or being under the influence of legal or illegal substances.

• Road rage, where someone intentionally sideswipes another car

Multiple institutions are conducting research to see how advances in technology can be used to make drivers safer on merging roads, and other places where sideswipe car accidents happen frequently.

Why You Need An Attorney

Unfortunately, sideswipe accidents have a domino effect on other drivers and passengers, especially on highways. Almost every driver knows that feeling of being on the highway that a line of cars is getting ready to merge onto, or having to be the driver merging into speeding traffic. It can be intimidating. You may have several reasons for not calling an attorney, such as fear of the cost or stress from the accident. Because there is a statute of limitations in California, you only have two years to file a claim for damages to your bike or body. But an experienced, compassionate lawyer is more than legal counsel. One of our attorneys can help you move forward from this event. Contact us today. 

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