Parking Lot Car Accidents in Pennsylvania: Who's at Fault?
Parking lot crashes happen at low speed, but they cause real injuries — especially to pedestrians and to people struck while standing near their cars. They also create confusion about fault and paperwork, because parking lots are private property.
Will police write a report?
Police in Pennsylvania often won't write a full report for a minor crash on private property with no injuries. If someone is hurt or a car has to be towed, call police and ask for a report. If they don't investigate a crash like that, you may need to file a Driver's Accident Report (Form AA-600) with PennDOT within five days. See How to Get Your Pennsylvania Crash Report.
Common fault patterns
Backing out of a space: the driver leaving a space generally must yield to cars traveling in the lane.
Two cars backing out at once: fault is often shared.
Through lanes vs. feeder lanes: cars in the smaller lanes between rows usually yield to the main lanes that lead to exits.
Cutting diagonally across empty spaces: usually the driver who ignored the lanes.
Pedestrians: drivers must watch for people walking, especially near store entrances. See Hit While Walking or Biking in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania uses comparative fault: you can recover if you were not more at fault than the other driver, reduced by your share. See "They Say It Was Partly My Fault".
Can the property owner be responsible?
Sometimes. A crash caused by a missing stop sign, blind corners, broken lighting or potholes may involve the owner or the company that maintains the lot. For falls in lots, see Slipped on Ice in a Parking Lot.
What to do
Photograph both cars before they move, plus lane arrows and signs.
Ask the store for camera footage right away — many systems overwrite within days.
Exchange insurance and get witness names.
Don't agree to "handle it without insurance" if anyone is hurt.
Don't apologize or guess at fault. See You Said "I'm Sorry" at the Scene.
Talk it through with someone local. If you have questions about your own situation, the attorneys at Joyce, Carmody & Moran can review what happened and explain your options. Request a free consultation.
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