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Is the rear driver always to blame for a rear-end crash?

On Behalf of | Dec 3, 2023 | Car Accidents

Determining fault for an Arizona car crash can be rather difficult. Even those who have flagrantly violated the law may try to blame others for the crashes they cause. Some drivers truly do not understand their actions caused a wreck or not. Police officers putting together a crash report often need to review the situation carefully to determine who is caused the crash and is therefore liable for the expenses generated by the collision.

Certain types of collisions often lead to assumptions about fault and liability. For example, people frequently assume that the driver in the rear vehicle will automatically be to blame. However, that assumption is not always correct. Sometimes, the driver in front (or another party) is to blame for a rear-end wreck.

When is the front driver potentially at fault?

Many rear-end crashes occur because of something an individual does while following another vehicle in traffic. They tailgate or drive aggressively. The failure to leave adequate space between vehicles is often the underlying cause of rear-end collisions.

Other times, they may have allowed distractions to prevent them from being as safe as possible. A driver looking at a phone or talking to a passenger may fail to monitor their surroundings and could cause a wreck that totals of vehicle or put someone in the hospital.

Despite the frequency of crashes caused by the rear driver, the driver of the front vehicle could also be to blame for a rear-end collision. Perhaps they had burned-out brake lights or turn signals. Maybe they failed to use their turn signals. Other motorists cannot adjust their behavior if they are unaware of what the driver in front of them intends to do.

The driver in front could conduct an inappropriate term or merge too aggressively. The front vehicle’s driver could also be at fault for a rear-end crash if their vehicle becomes disabled and they fail to move out of the lane of traffic they occupy as soon as possible.

Every collision requires a degree of analysis to establish who is at fault for the wreck. Proving that the other driver was to blame for a rear-end crash can help people pursue insurance claims or file personal injury lawsuits to recover their losses more effectively.