Changing lanes without being aware of other vehicles on the road can be deadly. Whether it’s due to sloppy driving or an inadequate shoulder check, moving right or left when a motorcycle or other car is in the way will likely cause an accident.
If you were hurt by a car changing lanes and colliding with your vehicle, call a car crash attorney right away.
Under Illinois law 625 ILCS 5/11-701(d), you should not drive a vehicle in the left lane on an interstate except when passing another vehicle or a few other particular circumstances. Due to this law, you should drive in the right lane until you reach a vehicle you want to pass. However, you will not get a ticket if you are driving in the left lane while no one else is around, due to the weather or road conditions, or because of dense traffic.
This law has as much to do with safety as it does etiquette. The law codifies common highway courtesy in which the slower traffic stays to the right while the faster traffic moves on the left. However, providing additional structure on already dangerous roadways also decreases the risk of an accident.
If you are driving slowly in the left lane, vehicles driving much faster than you may come up on you too quickly and be unable to avoid a collision. You could be rear-ended or the faster vehicle may swerve, colliding with other cars. By using the right lane when you are simply moving at the speed limit or going with the flow of traffic, you give faster vehicles room to pass you without incident.
Drivers often drift or merge into other lanes without properly checking for nearby vehicles. These crashes typically happen when a driver:
Fails to check mirrors or blind spots
Is distracted, fatigued, or “on autopilot”
Makes illegal lane changes (e.g., no turn signal, unsafe weaving)
Assumes the lane is clear without proper visibility
You took a driver’s education class, so you know what you are supposed to do before you pass. You should check your mirrors, look over your shoulder to see in your blind spot, then turn on your turn signal, and slowly move into the other lane. These steps only take a few seconds, however, when you are in a hurry or not being careful, they can be easily overlooked. Skipping a shoulder check or turn signal can cause serious and fatal accidents.
Stretches of the road are designated as no passing zones for a reason. Often it is because you do not have enough visibility down the road or around a curve to safely pass another vehicle at the speed limit. If you try and pass on a curve, you could be speeding headfirst into another car. It may impossible to stop in time, causing you to try and squeeze back into your lane or swerve in the other direction. You are likely to collide with the vehicle you were passing or lose control of your car altogether.
When you are in a hurry, you may be tempted to weave between vehicles whenever you have the chance, constantly changing lanes to get a little bit ahead. However, this back-and-forth increases your risk of an accident. First, when you weave, you end up driving too closer to the vehicles in front of you. This tailgating is a rear-end accident waiting to happen. Second, you may try and move into the other lane too soon. If you are not especially careful, you are likely to clip or sideswipe other vehicles. Third, if you are so in a hurry that you need to weave, you are probably speeding whenever you have the chance. Driving above the speed limit or what is appropriate for the traffic conditions means you are less likely to be able to avoid a crash. All it takes is one car to unexpectedly apply the brakes while you are weaving for there to be a serious accident.
Every vehicle has blind posts – areas of the road you can’t see well or at all. The size of your blind spots can depend on the shape of your vehicle, your windows, the size of your mirrors, and the angle of your mirrors. Most blind spots start at the driver or passenger’s shoulder and move backward, forming a triangle of pavement that can hide motorcycles and cars.
These areas are difficult to manage if someone is an inexperienced driver or during heavy traffic. However, certain actions reduce the likelihood of missing a vehicle in a blind spot, which reduces the chance of a lane change collision.
Many people don’t use their side mirrors like they should. Each side mirror should be adjusted so that you can see the side of the car and the area behind you on that respective side. If someone were standing at the back corner of your car on that side, you’d see them if the mirror is correctly positioned. You should be able to glance over and see, not have to turn your head while driving.
However, before making the lane change, you should also quickly check over your shoulder to ensure the space is clear. A fast glance to your left or right should allow you to see a vehicle in your blind spot that you may have missed in your mirror.
If you were hit by someone changing lanes, you’ll have to prove the person was at fault for the accident and your injuries in order to recover damages from their insurance or directly from them in court. An experienced Chicago accident injury attorney may be able to use the location and severity of the damage on your car as well as witness statements to prove the other person’s liability.
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, you have to deal with getting the medical care you need and recovering all while wondering how you’re going to afford to pay your bills since you’re off work. When the accident wasn’t your fault, it shouldn’t be your financial responsibility. The driver at fault should be held responsible for your medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Our car accident attorneys serve clients throughout the Chicago area, including Aurora, Elgin, Hinsdale, Joliet, Naperville, and Waukegan. If you need help making a third-party claim with the other driver’s insurer, or you need help to recover damages, call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. at (312) 236-2900.
When you’re fighting for maximum compensation, we know what it takes to get it.
