Unsafe Lane Changes Causing Car Accidents in Dallas
Numerous car accidents in Texas are caused by drivers making unsafe lane changes. These accidents have the potential to cause significant injuries, particularly when they occur on highways and interstates. If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by another driver who made an improper lane change, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your losses. An experienced car accident attorney can help you evaluate your legal options.
An unsafe lane change can occur when a motorist recklessly moves into another lane of traffic and creates an immediate risk of a collision with another vehicle. Unsafe lane change accidents often involve a violation of a driver’s right-of-way. A driver may already occupy the lane, and the driver trying to change lanes may fail to yield to the driver already in the lane. A car accident can happen when a driver cuts another vehicle off with an unsafe lane change or if the driver attempting to change lanes sideswipes a vehicle occupying the adjacent lane.
At Kraft & Associates, P.C., our Dallas car accident attorneys have been fighting to protect the rights of injured people since 1971. Our legal team seeks the maximum financial recovery for our clients. Our track record of success for our clients is reflected in the numerous positive reviews our clients have given us across social media.
When you’ve been injured in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence, you need knowledgeable legal guidance to pursue full and fair compensation. With Kraft & Associates, P.C., you’ll find a highly experienced legal team that is easy to talk to and responsive to your needs and questions.
You can trust that our personal injury attorneys will negotiate aggressively on your behalf with the insurance company representing the at-fault driver. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that you don’t have to pay for our services unless we recover money for you through a settlement or court award.
Contact Kraft & Associates, P.C., today for a free case evaluation. Speak with one of our knowledgeable Dallas car accident attorneys about the compensation you may be entitled to claim for your injuries and losses. Our legal team will work to hold accountable the negligent driver who caused the accident by making an unsafe lane change.
How Do Unsafe Lane Changes Cause Car Accidents?
A driver may simply fail to look to the side and check for any vehicle in a blind spot before moving into an adjoining lane. By being unaware of nearby traffic, the driver may end up colliding with another vehicle when changing lanes.
When a driver changes lanes in an unsafe manner, the lane change may take other motorists by surprise. For example, an unsafe lane change may involve a driver merging into a lane in front of an oncoming car when there is not sufficient room to do so. The unsafe maneuver may cause the oncoming driver to swerve or brake unexpectedly to avoid a collision. This sudden braking can lead to an accident. Similarly, a driver driving in the left lane passing a column of slower traffic in the right lane would not expect one of those vehicles to suddenly pull out directly in front of them.
Ultimately, an unsafe lane change may catch other motorists off guard, giving drivers of nearby vehicles little or no opportunity to avoid a collision.
An unsafe lane change can lead to a chain reaction collision as more and more drivers are required to swerve or brake to avoid colliding with other vehicles.
What Can Cause an Unsafe Lane Change?
An unsafe lane change can occur because a careless motorist commits one of the several errors in changing lanes, such as:
- Failing to indicate before changing lanes
- Failing to check side view mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes
- Misjudging the distance or speed of oncoming traffic
- Failing to observe a slowing vehicle in the adjacent lane before changing lanes
- Changing lanes in intersections
- Misjudging approaching traffic when passing vehicles in the opposing traffic lane
- Merging into highway traffic at too slow a speed
- Driving between two lanes over an extended distance
Other factors that can cause unsafe lane changes
- distracted driving (such as texting while driving)
- fatigued driving
- driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs
- reckless driving such as weaving through traffic at high speed
Preventing Unsafe Lane Changes from Causing Car Accidents
Fix Turn signals.
Drivers can take steps to prevent an unsafe lane change. Motorists should always be sure that their turn signals are working properly.
Drivers should always check their side-view mirrors before changing lanes.
Of course, car mirrors may not show a car hidden in a blind spot. Drivers should turn their heads and look over their shoulders to make sure there are no vehicles in the driver’s blind spot. New vehicle safety technologies, such as blind-spot detectors or blind-spot cameras and blind-spot collision avoidance features, can also help prevent unsafe lane changes.
Check lane to move in is clear or has enough space.
Drivers should be certain that the lane they want to move into has sufficient space for them to safely maneuver into it. If a driver sees vehicles accelerating from behind, the driver should let that accelerating vehicle pass before switching lanes. Otherwise, the driver may end up cutting in front of an accelerating vehicle.
Check roads or highways with three or more lanes.
Drivers should avoid changing lanes when another vehicle is moving parallel to the driver’s vehicle in the next lane over from the lane the driver wants to move into. You cannot know whether the other driver might also attempt to change into the same lane at the same time, potentially leading to a sideswipe collision.
Injuries and Damages in Lane Change Accidents
Lane change accidents commonly occur on highways, which means that these crashes take place at high speeds. At higher speeds, lane change accidents have the potential to result in serious, potentially life-threatening injuries.
Severe Injuries that can Occur in Lane Change Accidents
- Severe lacerations
- Broken bones
- Dislocated joints
- Soft tissue injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal injuries and bleeding
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Amputations
- Burns and smoke inhalation injuries (if the collision causes your vehicle to catch fire and you are trapped inside)
If you’ve been seriously hurt in a lane change accident that was caused by another driver’s error, you may be entitled to seek compensation for the medical bills and personal expenses you have incurred due to the accident.
Compensations our Car Accident Attorneys Can Seek for You
- The costs of medical treatment, including hospital bills, doctors’ appointments, surgeries, prescription medication, physical therapy, and medical equipment such as crutches or wheelchairs
- The loss of wages or income when you must miss work due to your injuries
- Lost earning capacity when your injuries leave you with physical and/or cognitive disabilities that adversely affect your ability to work
- Loss of enjoyment or quality of life due to physical scarring or disfigurement that may cause personal embarrassment or due to physical disabilities that interfere with daily living or participating in activities you previously enjoyed
- Pain and suffering, or the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injuries and resulting medical treatments
- Loss of consortium, or your spouse’s loss of your companionship due to your injuries
You also may be entitled to recover compensation for property damage, including the cost to repair your vehicle or replace it if it has been totaled in the accident.
Guidelines to Avoiding Car Accidents by Merging Safely
Drivers should follow certain traffic safety guidelines when changing lanes or merging into traffic to help reduce the risks of accidents.
To make safe lane changes or lane mergers, you should:
- Always use turn signals before starting a maneuver into another traffic lane
- Only change one lane at a time
- Avoid speeding up to change lanes
- Never change lanes in front of approaching traffic in the adjacent lane
- Never change lanes when approaching or in an intersection
- Never change lanes over solid traffic lines; you may legally only cross dashed lines
Call Our Lawyers If You’ve Been Injured Due to a Driver’s Unsafe Lane Changes
If you’ve been injured due to another driver’s unsafe lane change, contact the Dallas motor vehicle accident attorneys at Kraft & Associates, P.C. Give us a call at 214-999-9999 for a free, no-obligation consultation. Learn more about your rights and legal options if you have suffered harm due to an unsafe lane change accident. We’ll discuss how we can help you recover the financial compensation you deserve from the driver at fault for the accident.