WHIO TV reports that two people were injured in a car crash that has a lot in common with many rear end car collisions. This incident, which occurred in Riverside, Iowa involved a sports car and another vehicle that rear-ended the sports car.
The incident occurred when the vehicle that struck the sports car from behind failed to maintain a clear distance from the vehicle in front of it. Of all of the reasons that people end up in rear end collisions, this is the most common. Following vehicles too closely is not only illegal, it may wind up with you being held responsible for the financial and other damages you caused the driver that you slammed into because you were too close.
Tailgating
While tailgating is oftentimes used to refer to any driver who is too close to the rear of your vehicle for you to be comfortable, there are specific characteristics of a driver who is tailgating that are usually a bit more extreme. A driver who is tailgating will generally be following so closely that, at the distance both cars are separated, there is no way that the following driver could react to the driver ahead of them suddenly having to hit the brakes.
Tailgating too closely can also cause a situation where, when the driver in front executes a completely normal maneuver – such as turning into a driveway – the driver behind them may not have time to react. This is oftentimes construed as negligent by juries in civil courts when the driver who was struck files a lawsuit.
When you’re on the road, a good rule of thumb to follow is to keep two seconds of distance between you and the driver in front of you. This gives you time to swerve, apply brakes or take whatever other safe actions you may have to take to avoid a collision.
Most people will be able to react within two seconds of seeing something. You may still end up being involved in a collision but you should have time to your brakes so that the collision isn’t nearly as forceful as it would be if you were to them at full speed.
When drivers are tailgating you, it’s a very good idea to try to give them room to get around you or to do whatever else you have to do to get them to back off without causing any additional danger. A rear end car crash attorney can help you if a negligent driver damaged your property or caused injury.
