Have you been injured in a lane change crash in Austin, Texas? Anderson Injury Lawyers can help when you contact us at (512) 399-5000 to arrange a free consultation. An Austin lane change crash lawyer at our firm can review what happened, explain your legal options, and determine whether you may have a claim for compensation.
Lane change accidents can happen quickly, and drivers may disagree about who entered whose lane. We can help you work through the legal issues tied to your claim.
Why Choose Anderson Injury Lawyers After an Accident in Austin, TX?
Proving fault after a lane change accident can be challenging, particularly when both drivers have different accounts of what happened. Anderson Injury Lawyers has the experience and resources to investigate these crashes and pursue compensation from those responsible.
Clients in Austin, TX, choose our firm because:
- Founding attorney Mark Anderson has more than 30 years of personal injury experience.
- Mark Anderson is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
- Our firm has recovered more than $100 million for injured clients.
- Our Austin personal injury attorneys have received recognition from Super Lawyers.
Call or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation with an Austin car accident attorney.
Texas’s Lane Change Requirements
Texas law places specific responsibilities on motorists who change lanes. Under Texas Transportation Code § 545.060, a driver on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes must drive as nearly as practical within a single lane and cannot move from that lane unless the movement can be made safely.
Drivers must also signal their intention to change lanes. Texas Transportation Code § 545.104 requires motorists to use an authorized signal to indicate an intention to turn, change lanes, or begin driving from a parked position.
A driver who moves into another lane without making sure it is safe or fails to signal may violate these requirements. Evidence of such conduct can also be relevant when determining responsibility for a resulting accident.
What Are the Most Common Types of Lane Change Crashes in Austin?
Many lane-change crashes occur because a driver fails to confirm that the adjacent lane is clear before moving over. Others involve drivers who recognize another vehicle but misjudge its speed or the amount of available space.
Potential causes include:
- Failing to check mirrors or blind spots
- Changing lanes without signaling
- Distracted driving
- Making sudden or aggressive lane changes
- Cutting too closely in front of another vehicle
- Changing several lanes in a short distance
- Misjudging another vehicle’s speed or distance
- Speeding
- Driving while impaired
- Attempting to merge when there is not enough space
More than one driver can sometimes contribute to a collision. An experienced Austin car accident attorney can investigate the crash and determine who may be responsible.
What Causes Most Lane Change Accidents in Austin?
Changing lanes is a routine part of driving, but it requires a driver to pay attention to nearby vehicles and make sure there is enough space to change lanes safely. A single mistake can put a vehicle directly in the path of another driver, particularly on busy highways and multi-lane roads.
Common causes include:
- Failing to check blind spots
- Failing to use a turn signal
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Misjudging another vehicle’s speed or distance
- Changing multiple lanes at once
- Driving under the influence
Any of these behaviors can cause a driver to enter an occupied lane or leave another motorist without enough time or space to avoid a collision.
What Evidence Can Prove an Unsafe Lane Change?
Lane change accidents can present difficult liability disputes because the final position of the vehicles may not reveal which driver moved out of their lane. Evidence from before, during, and immediately after the collision can help establish what occurred.
Useful evidence may include:
- Dashcam footage
- Traffic or surveillance camera footage
- Photographs and videos from the crash scene
- Vehicle damage and points of impact
- Witness statements
- Police accident reports
- Skid marks and other physical evidence
- Electronic vehicle data when available
- Expert accident reconstruction testimony in appropriate cases
For example, damage along the side of a vehicle may help investigators understand the angle and direction of impact.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Austin Lane Change Crash Lawyers
Austin, Texas, drivers must make sure they can safely move from one lane to another. However, drivers may cause crashes by failing to check their blind spots, driving distracted, or misjudging the distance between vehicles.
If you were injured because of an unsafe lane change, Anderson Injury Lawyers can investigate the crash and determine who was at fault. Call today to schedule a free consultation with an Austin lane change crash attorney.