What are Backover Accidents and How Bad Are They?
Like most motor vehicle crashes, backover accidents can result in serious injuries. Unfortunately, the force of a car or truck could even mean a fatality. In case you’re uncertain of the terminology,a backover accident occurs when a driver is in reverse and strikes someone.
How does this type of accident happen? It may be that a child ran after a ball at the same time the driver was backing out a driveway. In some cases, someone riding a bicycle could be in the motor vehicle operator’s blind spot. For the most part, backover accidents happen at a slower than usual speed. Notwithstanding, the resultant crash can be devastating.
Backover Accident Statistics
For starters, let’s review some facts about where backover accidents occur. Most of us have heard the unfortunate tale of the parent pulling out of the driveway on the way to work. Unfortunately, it could be as simple as the child running out to give a kiss goodbye and running behind the vehicle. Good intentions that sadly lead to tragic events.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers some disturbing information regarding backover accidents:
- Children under the age of 14 are the most likely to be injured in backover accidents
- Forty percent of backover accidents occurred in driveways or parking lots
- The majority of backover crash victims were pedestrians, rather than cyclists
- More than half of the victims suffered minor injuries
Here’s another factor for consideration. It’s not just passenger vehicles that can be involved in an accident when going in reverse. Unfortunately, the size of a truck can cause even more catastrophic injuries.
Trucks and Backover Accidents
There’s no question that the size and weight of a big rig are reasons for concern.Meanwhile, there is also an issue of visibility. In some cases, it is nearly impossible for a tractor trailer driver to see what’s behind the end of the truck.
Be that as it may, trucks are often in a position when they need to reverse after dropping off cargo. Notwithstanding, there is also the problem of construction vehicles. The prospective problem is so bad that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration offers specific tips for operating vehicles in work areas.
In the case of construction sites, one of the issues may actually be related to noise. For the most part, trucks are equipped with back-up alarms. However, if they are not audible, this may pose an issue. Nevertheless, the onus is on the driver to ensure that no one is behind the vehicle. Again, there are definite blind spots that make this difficult.
Contact Us
The Law Offices of Beninato & Matrafaljo has decades of experience handling motor vehicle accidents. If you or a loved one has suffered personal injury, we would be pleased to provide you with legal advice. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.
Dan T. Matrafajlo, Esq. is the Managing Member and Lead Partner at Beninato & Matrafajlo, Attorneys at Law, LLC, a New Jersey-based personal injury law firm with offices in Elizabeth and East Brunswick. With over two decades of experience representing clients in complex matters—including motor vehicle accidents, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death cases—he has recovered over $100 million on behalf of his clients and is known for securing significant results. He has also helped shape New Jersey personal injury law through notable Appellate Division decisions such as Hardison v. King and Frenklakh v. Lojek, with his litigation work featured in the New Jersey Law Journal, underscoring his authority in the field.
Mr. Matrafajlo was recognized as a Super Lawyers® Rising Stars honoree from 2012 to 2017 and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum—an honor reserved for attorneys who have achieved multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements. Combining deep legal expertise with a client-focused approach, he provides strategic, results-driven representation while guiding clients through every stage of the legal process. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and is admitted to practice in both New Jersey and New York.
