What Is a Backover Accident? - Work With a Car Accident Attorney

Backover accidents are a specific type of car accident that occurs when a driver reverses their vehicle and hits another person. Generally, this is when someone is walking, standing, or crouching behind the vehicle. In most cases, backup accidents involve children, the elderly, or cyclists who find themselves behind a parked car that is reversing.

Though these accidents often occur at low speeds, a backover accident can cause severe injuries, or even fatalities because of the direct impact of a heavy vehicle on the body.

Sadly, backover accidents are usually very preventable, but they keep occurring because of driver error, blind spots, or lack of visibility.

Those who have suffered injuries or the family of a person who has been killed in a backover accident have rights. They can file a personal injury claim and sue the responsible party.

Powell Law Firm helps victims of backover accidents get the compensation they deserve. First, however, fault must be determined. They can help explain who is at fault in a backing up accident MO.

Where and When Do Backover Incidents Happen?

There are specific locations that are more common for backover accidents. These include:

• Driveways

• Apartment complexes

• Parking garages or lots

• Private roads

• Residential neighborhoods

• School zones

Sadly, many victims of backover accidents are injured by people they know, including a close family member and neighbors who might be pulling out of a parking space and not check blind spots or safety equipment to see what's behind them.

Who Is Most at Risk in a Backover Accident?

When a backover accident occurs, the most common victims include:

1. Children

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children under age 5 are at the highest risk. These accidents typically happen when:

• Children are playing behind a reversing vehicle

• The driver is unaware the child is there

• A rearview camera or sensors fail, or are not used

2. Elderly Pedestrians

Older individuals may move slowly, use mobility devices, or have hearing/vision impairments that make it difficult to react quickly.

3. Individuals in Low Visibility Conditions

Pedestrians walking at night, in bad weather, or in poorly lit areas are also at increased risk. Dark clothing or small stature can make someone virtually invisible to reversing drivers. Environmental factors like overgrown landscaping or weather conditions may also cause an accident.

How Do Backover Accidents Happen?

The best way to prevent backover accidents is to know how they occur. In general, backover crashes occur thanks to several factors:

Driver Inattention

Failing to check rearview mirrors, side mirrors, backup cameras, or surroundings before reversing is the most common cause.

Blind Spots and Poor Visibility

Even with modern vehicle technology, large vehicles like trucks, SUVs, and vans often have big blind zones behind them where people — especially children — are not visible to a driver in a backing vehicle. Limited visibility in residential driveways or drivers not paying attention can be devastating.

Distracted Driving

Drivers who are on their phones, changing the radio, talking, or multitasking may forget to look before moving the car in reverse.

Faulty or Misused Technology

Backup cameras and reverse sensors can help prevent accidents, but they are not foolproof. Some drivers rely on them too heavily, and though new vehicles have safety features, some vehicles don’t have them at all. It only takes a few extra seconds to check mirrors and walk around the car to get a clear view and check for vulnerable people.

Who Is at Fault in a Backover Accident?

Missouri law requires all drivers to operate their vehicles with reasonable care. This duty extends to backing up. If a driver hits a person while reversing and fails to properly check their surroundings, they are usually considered at fault.

In Missouri, a driver must yield to a pedestrian when backing up, even in a private area like a driveway. Negligence occurs when the driver doesn't act as a responsible person would under the circumstances. In some cases, the driver might not be the person responsible. A property owner or employer may be held liable. In other cases, the victim might be held responsible.

Missouri Law on Backover Accidents

Missouri has a comparative fault system. This allows victims to recover compensation even if they were partially at fault. Under RSMo § 537.765, damages are reduced by the injured party’s percentage of fault.

For instance, if a pedestrian is found to be 20% at fault and their total damages are $100,000, they can still recover $80,000.

However, in most backover cases — especially those involving children or elderly pedestrians — the driver bears the majority, if not all, of the legal responsibility. For more information, this car accident attorney in St Louis may be able to help.

Common Injuries from Backover Accidents

Backover accidents are physically devastating because the impact typically occurs at close range and may involve being run over by a heavy, large vehicle moving backward.

Injuries may include:

• Traumatic brain injuries

• Skull fractures

• Broken bones

• Spinal cord injuries

• Internal bleeding

• Amputations

• Fatal injuries

Small children struck in backover accidents often suffer life altering injuries or permanently disabling harm. These cases require quick legal action and compassionate representation from a personal injury attorney.

What to Do After a Backover Accident

Those who have been injured in a backover accident must take actions, quickly:

1. Seek medical attention immediately.Even if injuries seem minor, internal trauma or brain injuries can worsen over time. Other injuries may appear later.

2. Call the police.Ensure a police report is created, especially in cases with serious injury or property damage.

3. Document the scene.Take photos of the vehicle, surroundings, and any contributing factors (e.g., blocked view, poor lighting, or anything that can reduce visibility).

4. Identify witnesses and cameras.Surveillance video or witness statements can be critical for determining fault.

5. Do not admit fault.Let investigators and attorneys assess what really happened.

6. Contact an attorney.Legal representation is crucial to preserve evidence, deal with insurance companies, and fight for compensation. The legal process is confusing and there might be several legal options available.

   
   

Compensation for Backover Accident Victims

Victims of backover accidents may be eligible to recover financial compensation for:

• Medical bills (hospital bills, emergency care, surgery, rehab)

• Pain and suffering

• Lost wages or loss of earning capacity

• Disability or disfigurement

• Long-term care costs

• Funeral or burial expenses (in wrongful death cases)

At Powell Law Firm, they build strong claims that reflect the true cost of the accident — not just today’s bills, but future impacts as well.

How Powell Law Firm Can Help - Get a Free Consultation

Backover accidents are emotionally and legally complex. Drivers, property owners, and insurers may try to deny responsibility or minimize their role. At Powell Law Firm, they don’t let that happen.

They provide:

• Free consultations

• Thorough investigations

• Aggressive negotiations with insurance companies

• Courtroom representation, if needed

• Compassionate support through every step of the process

Whether the case involves a child, elderly loved one, or a pedestrian injured in a parking lot, they will fight to hold the negligent party accountable and pursue the maximum compensation available under Missouri law. Call now for a free consultation.