Sacramento Sideswipe Accidents

Statistically speaking, sideswipes are the second most common type of car accident in urban parts of the nation like Sacramento, particularly on busy city expressways and highways. Sacramento, which ranks as the fifth worst city for traffic in the state of California, is known for its highly congested roads and aggressive drivers. These, combined, set the stage for serious accidents, including sideswipes.

When you’re sideswiped by another vehicle in Sacramento, California, it’s important to know you have rights and take action to get the compensation you deserve. The experienced Sacramento car accident lawyers at Singleton Schreiber can help.

We’re award-winning local lawyers who invest national resources into the personal injury cases we litigate. Our determined defense of our clients’ rights and tireless pursuit of justice have helped us force negligent motorists, insurance companies, and other tough adversaries to pay our clients well over $2.5 Billion in monetary awards.

Now, we’re here to represent you after your Sacramento sideswipe accident and fight to maximize your recovery, too. Schedule a free consultation with our team by calling our Sacramento law office today.

How Common Are Sideswipe Accidents in Sacramento?

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, 364 sideswipe accidents were reported in Sacramento in 2023, representing about 10 percent of all collisions within the city that year. That’s nearly one sideswipe crash every single day. 

Roughly one out of every three sideswipes recorded in Sacramento occurred on a state highway.

For many sideswipes are quite serious. In 2023, sideswipes caused at least 467 injuries and at least one death.

What Causes Sideswipe Car Accidents?

A sideswipe occurs when the sides of two vehicles traveling parallel to one another collide. The vehicles can be traveling in the same direction or going in opposite directions. 

Several things can cause the sides of two vehicles to collide in transit, including:

• Distracted Driving: Drivers who are texting, engaged in conversation with a passenger, or otherwise distracted may fail to maintain their lane of traffic and, in doing so, drive into and against the vehicle in the lane next to them.

• Drunk Driving: Drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol will have a more difficult time seeing clearly and driving in a straight line, which can cause them to strike the vehicle in the adjacent lane of traffic.

• Merging Errors: Merging can be dangerous on Sacramento highways, especially during rush hour. Drivers who fail to check for oncoming traffic before merging or who drive aggressively to prevent a vehicle from merging into traffic may cause a sideswipe.

• Unsafe Lane Changes: It’s important to check blind spots in your mirrors and physically look in the lane next to you before changing lanes. Failing to do so can cause a driver to crash into the vehicle next to them when attempting to move over or pass another vehicle.

• Bad Weather: Sometimes sideswipes aren’t entirely (or even remotely) a motorist’s fault. Bad weather conditions - including heavy rain, high winds, and snow - can make it difficult to see line demarcations and/or maintain a lane of traffic. In rainy conditions, vehicles are more likely to hydroplane, which can cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle (especially when speeding) and collide with nearby vehicles.

If you’ve been involved in a sideswipe car accident in Sacramento, it’s imperative to get to the bottom of why and how the collision happened. Knowing the cause is a foundational element of a legal claim for damages. 

Many times, determining the specific cause of a sideswipe, and, in turn, establishing liability, can be tricky. Working with an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer can give you the resources, knowledge, and skills needed to build a successful claim and help you recover the compensation you deserve.

How Do I Prove I Was Sideswiped?

Several pieces of evidence can be instrumental in helping you demonstrate you were sideswiped and prove it was someone else’s fault.

Video Surveillance Footage

Video footage of the auto accident from dash cams, red light cameras, security cameras in Sacramento storefronts, and other cameras near the scene of the accident can be used to show exactly when, why, and how a sideswipe collision occurred. Even if the footage doesn’t capture the exact moment of the collision, it may capture a traffic violation or another piece of evidence that can be used to facilitate your attorney’s investigation and case.

Property Damage

Damage to the vehicles themselves can be very telling and offer a lot of insight into what happened. Scrapes, scratches, dents, damage patterns, and paint transfers, when evaluated by experts, can tell a story and provide insight into the collision.

Witness Statements

Statements from vehicle passengers and uninvolved bystanders can help to recreate the crash and, if consistent, prove to be helpful in understanding why a sideswipe occurred. For instance, a witness might have seen a driver texting on their phone and veer into the lane next to them, striking your vehicle. Cell phone records indicating that the driver was on a call or texting could, in concert with the witness testimony, help you prove your case.

Other helpful evidence can include police and accident reports, citations issued at the scene, medical records, photographs of the scene of the accident, and reports issued by accident reconstructionists and other expert witnesses.

However, you shouldn’t have to stress about how to prove that you were sideswiped or how to hold them accountable. Focus on your recovery and trust an experienced Sacramento car accident attorney at Singleton Schreiber to make the most of your fight for compensation.

Call Singleton Schreiber After a Sideswipe Accident in Sacramento

Singleton Schreiber is a known and respected personal injury law firm with a proven track record of helping car accident victims win life-changing monetary awards.

We’re here to help you prove you got sideswiped because someone else was careless and fight to make sure their insurance company pays for the full extent of your crash-related damages - including your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering.

You’ll only have a limited window in which you can file a sideswipe accident case, so don’t hesitate to contact our top-rated car accident attorneys in Sacramento today. There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation.