I like most drivers loathe the often tedious task of locating a decent car parking space when I’m out and about. We all want a space with the least walking distance, but getting one before someone sneaks in can be a mission in itself.
Car parks are inherent hotspots for accidents for many reasons. There are a lot of cars driving around and a lot of people rushing around as well. In this blog, we’ll go in to car parking space collisions.
Some common examples of car crashes caused by parking spaces are:
- Two vehicles going for the same space at once
- Cars pulling out from spaces and hitting vehicles going past
- Poor parking manoeuvres leading to collisions with stationary vehicles
- Cars turning across your path in trying to get to a space
All of the above scenarios will often have blame on either or both of the vehicles involved. The same rules of the road apply to car parks and everyone should adhere to them.
When it comes to two cars going for one space from opposing directions, the driver with the right of way is often the one that doesn’t have to turn across the path of the other (e.g. if you’re turning left in to a space that the opposite driver will be turning right in to, it should be your right of way.)
A driver that pulls out from a space in to your vehicle that is travelling past will normally be at fault. It’s similar to the right of way you have if a driver wants to emerge from a side road. Anyone who turns across your path should be at fault as well if you are correctly proceeding. There may not be central road marking but same rules can apply.
Here’s one I often think about when I’m going in to a space – what if another driver goes for the same space from the opposite end? i.e. what if they cross through an open space to go in to one so they don’t have to reverse in? Come on, I know most of us do it! I know I do. But you don’t always have the right of way in this kind of scenario. The right of way should really be with the driver that can go straight in to the space. If you want to cross through a space in to an open one at the back of it, prepare to have the higher duty of care!
It can of course all be circumstantial. Speed amongst other things can be taken in to account. Reckless, careless, or impatient driving can often leave a driver at fault irrelevant of the circumstances.
