Many car accidents in California involve a driver hitting the back of another car. These incidents occur frequently and in a wide variety of settings. The driver in the rear almost always causes a rear-end collision. All motorists have a responsibility to exercise due care and avoid causing head-on crashes. A rear-end collision is easy to create if a driver is distracted, travelling too fast, or following too closely behind the car in front of them.
However, there are various situations in which the leading driver carries some or all blame for a rear-end collision, even when they are in the lead, and many drivers incorrectly assume that the trailing motorist is always at fault. In the event that you were recently engaged in a rear-end incident in which fault was ambiguous, a seasoned Orange County Car Accident Attorney should be your first port of call for advice on how to proceed legally.
How do rear-end collisions take place?
It’s possible to get into a rear-end collision everywhere. Commonly cited reasons for rear-end crashes are:
- Speeding. It’s possible that drivers will collide into the vehicle in front of them if they exceed the posted speed limit.
- Unsafe driving conditions. While most of the year in southern California is nice, severe weather and other factors can cause roadways to become dangerously hazardous. Whenever the condition of the roads is uncertain, proceed with extreme caution. When driving in hazardous conditions, if you suddenly apply the brakes, you could easily lose control of your vehicle.
- Distraction. In the United States, distracted driving accounts for the vast majority of collisions. For example, if a driver is texting and driving and fails to look ahead, they might not see the car in front of them brake or come to a stop in time to avoid a collision.
- Incorrect reversal. It’s not uncommon for accidents to occur when lead drivers re-enter the lanes of traffic ahead of them.
- Accidents involving drivers who were impaired. Driving while intoxicated (DUI) is against the law and incredibly risky. Because of their impaired ability to make decisions and perceive their surroundings, drunk drivers frequently cause rear-end incidents.
- Fuses blown out, lights out. A collision is likely to occur if a driver is slowing down or stopping and the driver behind them does not see their brake lights activate.
