Phantom vehicle

{{Short description|Vehicle that causes injury, death, or damage without making physical contact.}}

{{orphan|date=December 2020}}

{{one source|date=May 2024}}

In vehicle insurance, a phantom vehicle is one that causes injury, death, or damage without making physical contact.[http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?Cite=48.22.030 RCW 48.22.030: Underinsured, hit-and-run, phantom vehicle coverage to be provided — Purpose — Definitions]. Washington State Legislature. Retrieved 2024-05-16. For example, a run-off-road accident can be caused by a car in the opposing direction drifting partly over the center line of a highway, then veering away. In some such cases, the driver of the phantom vehicle, much like a hit and run driver, leaves the scene, and thus in the subsequent accident investigation, the presence of the vehicle is known only through eyewitness testimony, unless a dashcam records video evidence.

In general, liability for the accident is assigned to the driver who violated a traffic law or roadway rule at the time of the collision. The driver who forced the other person to take evasive action to avoid a crash will be responsible, regardless of whether there was actual physical contact. {{Cite web |last=Team |first=Legal |date=2023-10-30 |title=Liability for a No-Contact Accident in Nevada |url=https://www.kochandbrim.com/liability-for-a-no-contact-accident-in-nevada/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=Koch & Brim |language=en-US}}