Which factor most commonly leads to a side swipe collision?

• A. Improper backing
• B. Improper lane change
• C. Following too closely
• D. Parking lot incident

Answer: (B)

Side swipe crashes mainly come from changing lanes unsafely. When the lane change is improper—such as not signaling, not checking the blind spot, or not leaving enough clearance in the target lane—the moving car can touch the side of a vehicle in the adjacent lane. Safe lane changes require signaling, looking in mirrors and over your shoulder, and ensuring there’s ample space before you shift lanes. In heavy traffic or when speeds differ, the window to merge is small, so misjudging distance or speed easily leads to a sideswipe. Backing up improperly tends to cause collisions at very low speeds with objects behind you, following too closely usually leads to a rear-end, and parking-lot incidents can happen but are less tied to the typical side-swipe pattern you see on multi-lane roads.