Parking Lot Accident

Low-speed parking lot accidents still cause serious injuries — liability can fall on drivers, businesses, and property owners.

Parking lot accidents are far more common than most people realize, accounting for a significant percentage of all vehicle accidents despite occurring at lower speeds than highway collisions. While the lower speeds involved reduce the severity of some impacts, pedestrians struck in parking lots, occupants of vehicles hit by reversing drivers, and drivers involved in low-angle impacts can still suffer significant injuries including whiplash, fractures, soft tissue damage, and head injuries. The liability analysis in parking lot accidents is complicated by the fact that parking lots are private property and often not covered by standard traffic laws in the same way public roads are — drivers reversing from parking spaces do not always have the same clear right-of-way rules that apply at public intersections. Property owners of parking lots have independent liability when the accident is caused or aggravated by design defects: inadequate lighting, missing or obstructed stop signs, confusing traffic flow design, potholes or damaged surfaces, or failure to maintain safe conditions for both drivers and pedestrians. Surveillance cameras in commercial parking lots capture accidents on video that is often decisive evidence — this footage must be requested and preserved immediately as commercial properties typically overwrite video on 24 to 72 hour cycles. Slip-and-fall accidents in parking lots — caused by ice, oil spills, broken pavement, or defective speed bumps — create separate premises liability claims against the property owner.

For informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney.

Common Causes

• •Driver reversing from a parking space without adequate rear visibility or checking surroundings
• •Pedestrian struck while walking through a parking lot by a vehicle that failed to yield
• •Two-way traffic collision in inadequately marked or signed parking lanes
• •Poorly lit parking lot with visibility inadequate for safe navigation
• •Slip and fall on ice, oil, or damaged parking lot surface maintained by property owner

Who Can Be Sued

Liability in a parking lot accident case may extend beyond just the primary at-fault party. Identifying all potentially liable defendants is one of the most important functions of an experienced personal injury attorney.

1. 1The driver who caused the collision or failed to yield to a pedestrian
2. 2The property owner or management company for negligent parking lot design, maintenance, or lighting
3. 3An employer if a driver was operating a work vehicle in the parking lot
4. 4A contractor responsible for parking lot maintenance who neglected required repairs

Key Legal Facts