Imagine sitting at a stop light, and you’re suddenly jolted forward with great force. Someone has collided with you. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of crash, accounting for 27% of all accidents. If you suffered injuries in a rear-end collision, you may have the right to seek compensation for your losses. Read on to learn more about what commonly causes rear-end collisions and how a Sacramento rear-end collision lawyer can help you.
What Causes Most Rear-End Collisions?
Rear-end collisions occur when one car collides with another car directly in front of them. The driver in the front car cannot prevent the accident from happening. For this reason, most rear-end collisions are usually the rear driver’s fault.
When asking what most rear-end collisions are caused by, there is no simple or singular answer. You can learn how to avoid rear-end collisions by familiarizing yourself with the most common ways these collisions occur so you can spot danger in the future.
Distracted Driving
How can you help prevent rear-end collisions? One of the easiest ways is to refrain from getting distracted while driving. Distracted driving is dangerous behavior encompassing many activities, including texting or talking on the phone, engaging with other passengers, eating, reading, adjusting the radio or GPS, and putting on makeup. It may be difficult to resist the distractions available to drivers today, but it’s wise to avoid them until your journey is complete.
Tailgating
Following cars too closely out of impatience or anger is a dangerous behavior that makes it impossible to stop when traffic conditions suddenly change. Drivers must leave enough room between their vehicle and the car before them to avoid a collision.
Reckless Driving
Behaviors like speeding, changing lanes quickly, following too closely, and running red lights and stop signs increase the likelihood of rear-end collisions. Many of these behaviors are illegal and can have severe consequences besides the harm they cause. If you see a driver engaging in this behavior, avoiding them can help prevent a rear-end collision.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
Driving under the influence is illegal and extremely dangerous. Drugs and alcohol severely deplete a driver’s ability to react to changing conditions and create a life-threatening situation for the driver and other drivers on the road.
Establishing the driver’s fault is vital to recovering the compensation you need. The cause of the rear-end collision provides valuable information that your car accident attorney can use to establish liability definitively.
What to Do After a Rear-End Collision
After a rear-end collision, you may be stunned and shocked by what happened. But taking the proper steps can greatly increase your chance of protecting your rights in a lawsuit.
Call 9-1-1
After an accident, you should always call 9-1-1. California law requires you to report an accident if there are injuries or death. However, it’s always wise to contact the police. Reporting police officers may assess the health and well-being of involved parties and request medical assistance. They also create an accident report detailing facts about the scene that can assist your Sacramento rear-end collision lawyer.
Exchange Information
Exchange information with the other driver, including their name, contact information, insurance details, and a photo of their driver’s license. If there were any witnesses to the collision, get their names and contact information. Your attorney may contact these witnesses to see if they have any additional information about the accident that may help your case.
Seek Medical Attention
Assess your physical condition and the condition of your passengers and other involved parties. Rear-end collisions and their effect on your body can create the illusion that you’re injury-free. However, many symptoms of serious injuries begin to appear in the hours, days, or even weeks following a collision. Tying your injuries to the crash is vital if you pursue compensation from the at-fault driver. Failing to seek a medical evaluation gives insurance companies and the liable driver room to argue that the collision did not directly cause your injuries.
Gather Evidence
If you are physically able, gather evidence at the collision scene. Evidence includes photographs of the involved vehicles. Consider taking photos of the surrounding environment, including where the collision occurred. Quickly write notes about your memories of the events leading up to, during, and after the crash. Many of these memories fade quickly, so writing them down while still fresh can help refresh your memory when piecing together the events for your attorney.
Report Your Accident
Contact your insurance company to report your accident. If the insurance company for the other driver contacts you, don’t accept any settlement offers until you have spoken to an attorney. Insurance adjusters rarely make initial offers that grasp the total extent of your damages. While taking a sum of money may be tempting, it’s wise to wait until you understand the scope of your harm.
Contact an Attorney
Contact a rear-end collision lawyer to learn about your options for financial compensation. You are entitled to receive compensation in the form of economic and non-economic damages from the liable party.
FAQs
Who Is Most Often At Fault in a Rear-End Collision?
Most rear-end collision statistics find that the rear driver is usually at fault. However, this is not always the case. Your lawyer will analyze the circumstances to determine fault.
What Is the Most Common Cause of Rear-End Collisions?
The main cause of rear-end collisions is following a car too closely and not allowing enough time to stop when required. Following too closely is also referred to as tailgating.
What Are Rear-End Collisions?
Rear-end collisions occur when a driver collides with the car directly in front of them. These may occur at slow or high speeds, depending on the situation.
What Are the Aftereffects of a Rear-End Collision?
Rear-end collisions and their effect on your body vary from person to person. Common aftereffects of these collisions include back pain, shoulder injuries, whiplash, and sometimes traumatic brain injuries.
Do Airbags Deploy in Rear-End Collisions?
Even if your rear-end collision happens when you are at a complete stop, the force of a vehicle hitting you from behind may cause your airbags to deploy.
Contact Us
At the Law Offices of Ali Yousefi, P.C., we provide clients with the best legal representation in car accident claims, family law matters, and employment law issues. We help you achieve the best possible outcome for your situation and pride ourselves on helping you solve your problems. At every phase of your case, we work closely with you so you can make the right decisions about your legal needs. Contact us today by phone or email for a free consultation to find out how we can help you!