York, PA Merging Accident Lawyers
Fighting for victims of vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania for 40 years
Vehicles need to merge into other lanes of travel for many reasons, such as when they enter a lane from an off-ramp or an on-ramp. There are correct ways to merge and ways that cause accidents. At KBG Injury Law, we understand which cars have the right of way, where cars and trucks need to position themselves, and how fast they should be traveling. Our York merging accident lawyers hold negligent drivers accountable when they broadside another vehicle, sideswipe a nearby car, or rear-end a car trying to merge. Our lawyers demand full compensation for all your economic and personal damages.
Pennsylvania Truck Accident Settlement
$1.625 Million
Settlement for a tractor trailer crash involving a trailer that was loaded improperly allowing load to shift.
What factors should drivers consider when they merge in York, PA?
When there is only one lane for two drivers, one driver has to yield to the other driver. Deciding who should yield is rougher when there are many other cars also trying to merge, when the speed limits are high, when visibility is poor, and when the weather conditions make the roads slick.
As a general rule, cars entering a lane from another lane must yield to the car that is already in the lane both cars want to be in. The rules for merging are less clear when two cars in outside lanes (such as lanes 1 and 3) are trying to merge into a middle lane (lane 2) at the same time.
According to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:
Entrance ramps for highways often have acceleration lanes. These lanes run beside main traffic lanes and should be long enough to allow you to accelerate to the speed of traffic before you enter the highway itself. These lanes also allow drivers on the highway to see you before you enter.
Some of the key factors drivers should consider when merging include:
- Understand who has the right of way.
- Look at the full lane of travel you are merging into so you can see all the cars behind and to the other side of where you want to merge.
- Use your mirror to look at the cars behind you that are trying to merge.
- Be aware of any directional signs or barriers, such as those that may be present at construction sites.
- Estimate how fast the vehicles in the lane you are merging into are traveling.
- Understand where your car will be and what you need to do after you complete the merge.
- Use additional precautions if the roads are wet or visibility is a problem.
- Be extra careful when trucks are nearby because they may not see you, and you may have difficulty seeing around them.
- Know when the lane you are in ends.
How do merging accidents happen in York, PA?
At KBG Injury Law, we handle all types of merging accidents. Some of the different reasons for merging include the following:
- Enter a new lane from an off-ramp or an on-ramp
- Enter a new lane from a side street or a parking lot
- Merge because there is construction work ahead
- Many other reasons
Some of the types of merging accidents we handle include:
- Broadsides and sideswipes. Cars that merge too soon can strike a car in the merge lane along the side of the vehicle.
- Rear-end accidents. A rear-ender can happen in several ways, including:
- While you are waiting to merge, a car behind you can hit your car in the rear.
- After you merge, a car in the merge lane can hit your car in the rear because you did not speed up or the other car was not paying attention.
- You rear-end a car in front of you in the merge lane because you sped up too quickly.
- Truck accidents. Merging when trucks are involved is especially dangerous due to visibility issues and because trucks take up more room in a lane. If a truck strikes your car or you hit a truck, the odds are that your injuries will be quite severe or fatal.
At KBG Injury Law, we work with the police, our investigators, and traffic reconstruction experts to show second-by-second how the merge accident occurred and why it was preventable.
What are the causes of merging accidents in York, PA?
Our York merge accident lawyers have the experience and advocacy skills to show why merge accidents happen and why they should not have happened. Often, we can establish fault through our investigation and the formal questioning of everyone involved. Common causes for merge accidents include:
- Not understanding which driver has the right of way.
- Not communicating, where possible, such as by signals, hand motions or eye contact.
- Not yielding the right of way.
- Not checking for blind spots. It can be especially hard for trucks to see which vehicles are around them.
- Not observing all lanes of travel and the line of cars within each lane.
- Not understanding where the lane you are merging from ends.
- Not knowing that there are cars behind you waiting to merge.
- Not waiting for all the cars in a merge lane to pass you.
- Not keeping a proper level of speed before and after the merger.
- Driving too closely to the car in front of you.
- Driving while distracted, such as texting, talking on a mobile phone, eating, or other distractions.
- Trying to merge several lanes away.
- Merging into a lane other drivers in different lanes are trying to merge into.
- Not following merge instructions at a construction site.
It’s common practice and courtesy to alternate which vehicle merges when there is a line of cars waiting to merge.
In some cases, more than one driver may be responsible. Pennsylvania law provides that an injury victim can still recover damages if they are less at fault than other drivers. The damage amount will be reduced by the claimant’s percentage of fault.
Do you have a York merging accident lawyer near me?
Yes. We meet clients at 110 N. George St., 3rd Floor, York, PA. If your injuries prevent you from traveling, we will make other arrangements to meet with you. Our lawyers also consult with clients by phone and through online platforms such as Zoom.
We‘re prepared to answer your questions, explain your rights, and counsel you through each stage of your claim.
Speak with our accomplished York merging accident lawyers now
We understand how upset you are. Instead of arriving at your home or other destination, you are seeing doctors and wondering how you will pay your bills. At KBG Injury Law, we have nearly 40 years of experience helping accident victims obtain the compensation they deserve for their medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage. We’ve obtained hundreds of millions in settlements and verdicts.
Please call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. KBG Injury Law also maintains offices in Lancaster, Harrisburg, Hanover, and Gettysburg.