A single car accident does not always mean the driver is at fault

Not all car accidents involve more than one vehicle, and not all accidents are the fault of a driver. Road conditions and equipment are sometimes the culprit.

Just because you’ve been in a single-car accident doesn’t mean you’re at fault: there may be a problem with your vehicle, poor road maintenance or design, or you may have hit an animal in the road (or swerved to avoid one and hit something else instead).

What to do in a single-car accident

Like in other collisions, the first step is to pull over and assess the situation. Make sure that the roadway is clear and your stopping position is safe for other traffic.

• Check for injury and damage to the vehicle.
• File a police report.
  Even with a single car accident, a police report is required if the vehicle’s damage is over $500 or in case of any injury, including to the driver.
• Document any damages and injuries.
  While this may be included in the police report, keep details notes and photographs of what happened, when it happened and what the road conditions were.

Legal options

While many single-car accidents are determined to be the driver’s fault, there are exceptions. Wildlife-related collisions are generally not the liability of another driver, nor are accidents caused by driving too fast for road conditions (including weather), but many single-car accidents are the result of external factors that were caused by others.

• Another driver
  If another car in the road was involved but was not damaged in a collision, that driver may still be liable, such as an inattentive driver who caused you to leave your designated lane and crash.
• Equipment failure
  If the vehicle malfunctions due to faulty design or construction, then the manufacturer may be liable.
• Poor road maintenance or signage
  This does not include bad weather. Instead, if a road’s physical condition is so poor that the vehicle cannot operate properly, or if poorly placed signs are a factor in the accident, the road’s managing entity may be at fault.

Even in a single car crash, drivers should document and report any damage that led to the accident. Just because no other cars were damaged doesn’t always mean the driver is to blame.

Contact Our Washington Personal Injury Law Firm at Dean Standish Perkins & Associates

We serve all areas in Issaquah, Seattle, and throughout Washington.

Dean Standish Perkins & Associates

1495 NW Gilman Blvd #11, Issaquah, WA 98027, United States
(206) 467-0701

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