Each year, thousands of videos are posted online that show parking garage mishaps. You might come across footage of cars ramming into cement walls or falling off 7-story ramps. Shock factor aside, accidents in these surroundings are very realistic.
Parking garages and ramps offer easy access to hotels, restaurants, malls and other attractions. While convenient and necessary, tight parking spaces present trouble for many drivers. According to the National Safety Council, more than 50,000 crashes occur in parking lots and garage structures annually.
Who is at risk?
Anyone who utilizes parking ramps are at risk of a car crash or other accident. Vehicles are what first come to mind. But children and other pedestrians are at risk as well. Weaving through a parking garage or ramp is difficult when neither party can see their surroundings well.
Common causes
Reckless, negligent and careless driving are often the main culprits in parking garage accidents. A driver may be distracted, not look when backing out, go the wrong way or proceed too fast. One small mistake can result in serious injuries. Some drivers are prone to aggression. Their focus is solely on nabbing a parking space rather than regarding another’s safety.
Other conditions involve the parking ramp itself, such as:
- Bad lighting
- Construction defects
- Lack of maintenance
- Lack of security
Parking garage accidents are complex. Due to blind spots, poorly marked lanes, confusing signage and overall lack of space, fault is sometimes hard to determine. Low-speed collisions are equally as dangerous as high-speed ones, even fatal. If you are a victim of a parking garage accident, your medical bills and lost wages might add up. Whether a driver, owner, operator or pedestrian is the root cause of your accident, you may be eligible to file a claim.
