Crashes into buildings might not be as common as collisions involving cars, yet they cause an estimated $200 million in annual costs related to personal injury and property damage claims, according to Ameriprise.
Fact: Each day, there are about 60 vehicle-into-building accidents across the United States. According to the Storefront Safety Council, such crashes injure at least 4,000 people per year.
Determining fault in a vehicle-into-building crash scenario can be tough, but it is possible to seek compensation if you sustained injuries or your home was damaged as a result of such an accident.
Causes of Vehicle-into-Building Accidents
Vehicle-into-building auto crashes result in about 500 fatalities each year. That’s more than the annual deaths from tornadoes, earthquakes, and lightning combined. Vehicles crash into residential buildings, retail stores, and other buildings for various reasons.
The majority of vehicle-into-building accidents occur due to:
- Pedal error (the driver mistakenly pressed the gas pedal instead of applying the brakes);
- Driver error (distracted driving, drowsy or fatigued driving, unsafe driving in bad weather or road conditions, etc.);
- Defective braking system;
- Drunk driving;
- Motor vehicle accidents (the force of impact in a collision sends a car flying into a building);
- A medical emergency (e.g., the motorist passed out while operating a vehicle); and
- Burglary (burglars crash into buildings to commit “ram-raid” robbery).
Determining Fault in a Vehicle-into-Building Crash in Florida
In April 2020, three people were arrested after their vehicle crashed into a home in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida. According to The Ledger, a bronze sedan struck multiple mailboxes, went through a field, and then crashed into a home. The vehicle-into-building crash occurred on Chart Prine Road in the Kathleen area.
The car came to a stop in the home’s bedroom, which was not occupied during the accident. The three persons were arrested on different charges, including fleeing the scene of a crash with injury and property damage, violation of probation, driving while license suspended/revoked, and battery.
While the majority of car-into-building accidents occur due to the pedal or driver’s error, some of these crashes are the result of negligence on the part of owners of commercial buildings and retail stores that lack adequate safety mechanisms.
For example, property owners whose buildings have been struck multiple times are aware of the risk and may have a duty to address the safety issue to prevent such car accidents in the future. Failure to do so may amount to a breach of duty, which can lead to legal liability in a personal injury case. Even something as simple as realigning parking spaces and installing effective measures can be enough to prevent vehicle-into-building crashes.
Typically, the driver of the car that crashed into a building is almost always at fault in vehicle-into-building accidents. Fault in such crashes depends on what caused the car to go off the road and hit the building.
Speak with our Lakeland car accident attorneys to determine fault in your vehicle-into-building crash in Florida. Contact The Turnbull Firm to investigate your case. Call at 863-324-3500 for a case review.
Resources:
theledger.com/news/20200406/car-crashes-into-lakeland-house-3-arrested
storefrontsafety.org/statistics.html
ameriprise.com/auto-home-insurance/aah/learning-center/auto/safe-driving/car-crashes-into-building/