Many of the worst car crashes occur after a moment of horror as someone realizes that another driver has turned directly into their path or is about to hit them. They see the risk but are unable to avoid it.
However, some crashes occur without victims realizing that they are imminent. Rear-end collisions are among the most common crashes that occur across New York State, and the person who gets hit often doesn’t realize what is about to happen until after they feel the jolt of another vehicle hitting against their vehicle’s back end. Although every crash is unique, there are consistent factors that play a role in the majority of rear-end collisions in New York every year.
Rear-end collisions are generally the result of unsafe choices
Traffic safety laws require that people follow the speed limit, gauge their position in relation to other vehicles and adjust their habits based on the weather. Unfortunately, many drivers in New York are in such a rush on the road that concerns about safety become an afterthought.
They engage in aggressive and unsafe driving habits that end up causing rear-end collisions. The top unsafe habits that cause rear-end crashes include:
- speeding
- distracted driving
- maintaining an unsafe following distance
You could be doing everything right, but others may not be. If you were hit by another driver, you may have the right to hold them responsible for your injuries. A personal injury attorney will know how to help you. During a post-collision investigation, it may be determined that the other driver didn’t leave an appropriate amount of space between the front of their vehicle and the rear end of yours. This space should also get larger as the overall speed of traffic increases. Additionally, it may be discovered that the other driver didn’t focus on the road and the vehicles around them. Instead, they may have using mobile devices or eating a meal on the way to an appointment.
In many cases, given the preventable nature of a rear-end crash, the driver in the rear vehicle is the one at fault for the collision. There are, of course, exceptions, but that is for a lawyer to determine.