Parking Lot Car and Garage Accidents – Who’s at Fault

Research conducted by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed that about 20 percent of all auto accidents normally occur in commercial parking lots. The fact that these kinds of accidents are mostly related to property damage doesn’t make them less of an accident. They carry the same car insurance quotes as normal accidents. However, they are known to be less fatal.  It’s only in a few cases that parking lot accidents or garage accidents cause fatal injuries that can result in death. What could really be the cause of these accidents in an area considered to be a safe zone? The simplest answer to this is inattention. Both the drivers and the pedestrians consider parking lots to be safe without knowing that an act of negligence such as not looking while adjusting a safety belt or pushing groceries while picking a phone call can result to serious injuries. Who then at fault? With all the different auto insurance companies available providing specific covers for these kinds of accidents, it is always prudent to conduct a search to find out which company suites you best. Did you know that in most provinces in Canada with the exception of Ontario, road rules do also apply in parking lots? In the case of Ontario, parking lots just like garages are considered to be private property. This means that in the event of an accident, one will not be subjected to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act but instead; the following general rules will come to play:

• • • Whoever is using the thoroughfare lane has the right of way over a feeder lane driver
    • If you are in a parking lot and you recklessly open your door then someone else hits it, you’ll be at fault.
    • Hit a legally parked vehicle…you are definitely at fault
    • Parking lot signs must be followed
    • Always yield to an oncoming vehicle whenever pulling out of a parking space

What you need to do after a parking lot accident?

Whether it’s a road accident, a garage accident or a parking lot accident, they should all be treated with equal measures. The best car insurance companies will demand from you as much evidence as possible before your claim is processed. Therefore, collect as much evidence as possible. If you lack such vital information, chances are that the driver will be at fault leading to a 50/50 split of liability between the two drivers. The rule of the thumb when it comes to the parking lot or garage accidents is that, if the driver is at fault, the accident will reflect in your auto insurance premiums. But since this is not usually the case, these sorts of accidents are normally settled with a 50/50 split between the two drivers.