What to do After a Sideswipe Collision in Tampa, Florida?

In a sideswipe collision, two vehicles are traveling next to one another, and one car veers into the other one next to it. The resulting impact can often send one or both vehicles veering off and striking other vehicles, a guardrail, a concrete barrier, or another object. This happens either due to the drivers being startled or the force of the impact pushing the car.

What are the Common Causes of Sideswipe Accidents?

Sideswipe accidents are almost always the result of one driver not paying attention to the traffic around them. The most common causes include:

• Poor execution on lane changes
• Drowsy or distracted driving
• Driving under the influence
• Misjudging distance while merging from on-ramp or construction zone

The Most Dangerous Roads in Tampa

EverQuote compiled data from the NHTSA and found that Highway 4 in Tampa is the most dangerous in the United States. The community organization Plan Hillsborough’s Vision Zero program details Tampa’s most dangerous streets. The list includes:

• Mango Road/CR579 (MLK Boulevard to US 92)
• 78th Street (Causeway Boulevard to Palm River Road)
• Gibsonton Drive (I-75 to Balm Riverview Road)
• 15th Street (Fowler Avenue to Fletcher Avenue)
• Bruce B Downs Boulevard (BBD) (Fowler Avenue to Bearss Avenue)
• Sheldon Road (Hillsborough Avenue to Waters Avenue)
• Lynn Turner Road (Gunn Highway to Ehrlich Road)
• Fletcher Avenue (Armenia Avenue to Nebraska Avenue)

What are the Most Common Injuries from Sideswipe Accidents?

The safety features on most vehicles focus mostly on the front and back of the vehicle. Therefore, the sides are often left without critical safety features and reinforcements. One exception to this is newer vehicles with side-impact airbags. These can dramatically reduce the severity of injuries sustained in a sideswipe accident. However, these injuries are very common in vehicles with no side-impact protections:

• Soft tissue injuries such as in the neck, spine, and joints
• Head injuries from the head hitting window glass
• Cuts and bruises from flying debris
• Broken bones
• Internal injuries
• Nerve damage from soft tissue or back injuries

The potential for injuries increases if there is a secondary impact that results from the sideswipe impact. Depending on the circumstances, a sideswipe accident can also cause a vehicle to roll over and involve multiple vehicles.

What do I do After a Multiple Vehicle Accident?

The first step is to seek immediate medical attention, even if you believe you were not injured. The shock and trauma can desensitize you to potentially significant injuries. It may take hours, days, or even weeks for the symptoms of injuries to present themselves. Delaying medical attention could not only harm your well-being, but it can also cause hardships later on in the insurance claims process.

We advise that you contact us a injury law firm in Tampa as soon as possible. Darrigo and Diaz Law has an expert team of car accident attorneys in Tampa that can help reconstruct the event to determine the chain of events and get you the compensation you need to cover medical expenses. We encourage you to immediately reach out to us by contacting us here or by calling (813) 774-3341 for a confidential, free, and no-obligation phone consultation.