Improper Lane Usage
Whoever it was that came up with the idiom “it’s no use crying over spilled milk” probably never witnessed anything like what happened Saturday morning near Rolling Meadows, Illinois. A driver in a Toyota SUV discovered that he was about to miss his exit, so he immediately changed lanes in an effort to get over in time to take the exit. Unfortunately, there was not only a Mazda in the lane to his right, but there was also a milk truck in the lane to the right of the Mazda car as well. Needless to say, things turned sour for everyone involved. The Toyota driver’s effort at fitting three cars into two lanes caused the Mazda to swerve to the right in an effort to avoid the Toyota. This maneuver caused the Mazda to collide with the milk truck, tipping the milk truck over and causing it to spill its contents. The drivers of the Mazda and milk truck were taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries, while the driver of the Toyota was cited for improper lane usage.
It goes without saying that two cars cannot occupy the same spot on the road. Thus, drivers who merge over onto other drivers who are rightfully in another lane are committing the negligent driving behavior of improper lane usage. As shown above, this driving mistake can result in multiple car accidents that have the possibility of causing serious injury or damage to property. The driver in the scenario above stands a good chance of being found liable not only for the injuries caused but also for the damage or loss of the cargo being carried by any of the vehicles being driven by victims of the accident. For example, the driver of the Toyota in this scenario may be liable for the destruction of hundreds of gallons of milk, which sells for roughly three to five dollars a gallon depending on the manufacturer and location. This can add up rather quickly and combine with vehicle damage, property damage, and medical expenses to constitute a substantial amount of liability for negligent drivers who cause such accidents, giving them plenty to cry about.
