Parking Lot Accident - Driver Going In The Wrong Direction

[jchin006]

Hi, I'm in Texas and my g/f just had a parking lot accident at the mall. She was pulling out of a parking space and turning into the lane but another driver was coming down the lane going the opposite direction. There are arrows in the parking lot that show where traffic is supposed to go and the driver was clearly going the opposite direction. We didn't file a police report, but we were told that both drivers were at fault - one person for going the wrong direction of traffic and one for not seeing the car coming. Who's really at fault?

[Mr. Knowitall]

We didn't file a police report, but we were told that both drivers were at fault - one person for going the wrong direction of traffic and one for not seeing the car coming.

I don't know who told you that, but it's not an unreasonable conclusion. Unfortunately, drivers frequently ignore the arrows in parking lots (and, for that matter, the lanes), and you have to take that into consideration when driving.

[jk]

unless you have a law in your state that gives parking lot markings the force of law, they are nothing more than a suggestion.

if you hit another person, you would be at fault.

if the other person hit you, they would be at fault.

the speeds allowed (didn;t look them up for Texas but most states actually have legally enforcable limits in parking lots and they are generally quite slow) would allow a person to avoid hitting another person in just about any circumstance.

can't really see much, if any, mid-ground here.