Well......kind of..sort of....not really. A lot depends on how the lot is managed. If an accident occurs on private property, the police are only called and fill out an accident report if there is an injury, usually. However, if the property has a contract with the police, then they will treat is as a public road. If you run a stop sign in a private lot the police have a contract on, you will be ticketed. If they aren't policing it, you won't unless there's an injury due to your ignoring a traffic signal (sign). The same happens if you drive across the marked parking spaces and hit someone. You are liable if you were crossing rather than following the marked lanes. On private property though, you have to prove everything in court with whatever evidence you can collect without a police report. It's basically your word against theirs. Heaven sent us the cell phone cameras for this reason. I'll bet I've made this as clear as mud.

 

Well, up here there's nothing to do with contracts. All traffic control devices have to be certified, inspected for being proper for their location and purpose, and kept on file to be enforced. Even if on private property. Most on private property can only be a "suggestion" because it would be pretty costly of a process for them. The law allows an officer to make a report for a property damage crash, b ut most don't since it is less than enforceable, so there's no incentive to make a report other than to act as collection agent for the insurance companies. Same here though, that injury accidents MUST be reported. That said, even though the traffic control devices are not enforceable, careless/reckless and OWI are enforceable if there is public access and if they cause injury, just in case one was wondering.

 

Usually they name it not at fault after fighting it out.


I had an older gentleman who was lost one time side swipe me. They said I sideswiped them etc... They were turning onto a road off the shoulder and realized it was the wrong road then cut back into traffic and we hit.

Came down to not at fault and we both fixed our own damage. Their rear bumper had damage so ya know how that goes.....


This was in my old truck.

 

My accident ocurred on private property as well - in that case the adjusters determine whos at fault. I really felt it should have been a case of both partys being at fault. Things dont work that way up here I guess.