Parking lots in Minnetonka, MN, are more than just spaces to leave your car while running errands; they can be complex areas where driving laws often seem vague. Tens of thousands of collisions happen in parking lots and garages each year in the U.S., most due to distracted driving, as many drivers fail to appreciate the risks of these lots.
Some drivers might be tempted to use a parking lot as a shortcut to bypass traffic signals or avoid congestion, but is it legal?
In Minnesota, like in many states, the laws surrounding parking lot usage vary greatly. In most cases, accidents in parking lots are treated just like other traffic incidents. If negligence is established, the at-fault driver will be liable for the resulting injuries and damages. However, liability can be complicated if a driver unlawfully cuts through a parking lot.
A Minnetonka, MN, car accident lawyer from Schmidt & Salita Law Firm can help assess your situation to determine if you have a case for compensation.
Using a parking lot to skip a traffic signal or dodge a busy street may seem harmless, but it often falls into a legal gray area. While parking lots themselves aren’t typically classified as public roads, cutting through them to avoid a traffic signal or intersection can be considered illegal.
In Minnesota, drivers are expected to follow standard traffic laws, even in parking lots. Cities and municipalities may have specific regulations that make cutting through parking lots a citable offense, especially if it results in dangerous driving behavior that is risky to pedestrians and other vehicles.
While generally discouraged and often illegal, there can be exceptions to this rule. Some of these exceptions include:
Parking lots fall under both public and private property regulations. Although they aren’t considered the same as public roadways, Minnesota still enforces some laws in parking lots. Here are the common parking lot regulations:
Note that if you use a private parking lot without permission, you may be trespassing. Private lot owners can legally restrict access and may take action against unauthorized users. If an accident occurs while a driver is cutting through a private lot, the property owner might be liable under premise liability. However, the unauthorized driver will also be held responsible for damages.
While it might seem like a convenient way to save time, cutting through a parking lot may cause various hazards. These areas are typically designed for slow-moving vehicles and pedestrians, not for drivers attempting to dodge street traffic.
Some potential dangers include:
If you’ve been involved in an accident in a parking lot in Minnetonka, a car accident lawyer at Schmidt & Salita Law Firm can help. Our team of attorneys has experience providing top-tier legal representation for accident victims. While you might downplay the seriousness of a parking lot accident, the legal consequences may be costly. Therefore, let us evaluate your parking lot accident case so we can advise you accordingly. Call us at (952) 473-4530 to schedule a free case evaluation today.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Dean M. Salita, with more than 30 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
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