If you’re thinking up a scenario in which a rear end crash is likely to occur, it probably involves being tailgated. That might not be the only indication of trouble that you want to keep an eye out for, however. According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this might not always indicate when a rear end crash is imminent.
The Finding
According to the report, entitled Analyses of Rear-End Crashes and Near-Crashes, not all of the vehicles involved in crashes were in situations where one was following too closely to the other. In fact, the report details that the vast majority of drivers were not necessarily in such a situation. The report reveals that approximately 90% of the drivers involved in such a crash had at least 2 seconds to brake or take other action when the vehicle in front of them started to brake. The report also revealed that the lead vehicles usually were braking moderately and that only 15% of the incidents involved lead vehicles that were braking very quickly.
What mattered was attentiveness. The major predictor in whether a rear end collision happened or not was the eye glance data compared in the report and making sure the following vehicle’s driver does see and react to visual cues seems to be the most important factor in determining whether an accident happens or not.
Distracted Drivers
It’s become more common for people to be involved in accidents involving distracted drivers these days. This is partially due to the fact that drivers have more opportunities than ever to get distracted. Drivers who are on their cell phones, sending text messages and so forth are the types that are very unlikely to see a crash about to happen before it actually occurs and that means that they are real threats to all the other drivers out there.
If you find yourself in a situation where you were rear ended by a driver who wasn’t paying attention, you do have options. A lawyer can let you know what they are. You may have a chance of winning a lawsuit, but this is not always the case. Remember that, sometimes, the driver in the lead actually causes the accident and, if that was you, you might not have the lawsuit option. You’ll have to speak with an attorney to clarify the situation.
