Tailgating and Auto Accidents

Tailgating is a dangerous driving maneuver that may result in a damaging rear-end collision when a driver closely follows another car. They thus do not have enough time to react when the front vehicle suddenly stops or slows down.

Now, you may wonder how to stop a tailgater and avoid a car collision?

And what should you do when a tailgater hits your vehicle and starts blaming you for causing the car crash?

You will find the answers to your questions in this article.

Risks Involved in Tailgating

Drivers tailgate because of varying reasons, like:

• Not being confident with their new driving skills, and thus they seek protection from other vehicles.
• Hurrying to overtake the front vehicle.
• Driving aggressively and they want the vehicle in front to speed up.

There are two primary risks tailgating may cause to the tailgater and the heading car.

First, the rear driver may fail to notice incoming obstacles or motorists because of the front vehicle.

For example, the tailgater is trying to overtake a car in front of them. However, they end up crashing into another vehicle they didn’t notice earlier.

Another risk is when the heading vehicle suddenly stops or slows down, and the tailgater can’t stop their car immediately. It may result in a direct rear-end collision that causes devastating damage and injuries, like:

• Whiplash
• Spine injuries
• Chest injuries and broken ribs because of airbag release
• Wrists, arms, and shoulder injuries because of the impact while holding the steering wheel
• Head injury and brain trauma

Call a Burbank auto accident attorney if you sustain any car crash injury because of tailgating.

How to Deal with Tailgaters

Now, here are some tips for dealing with tailgaters and staying away from accidents:

1. Stay calm and don’t suddenly step on the brakes to make the other car drive away. In most cases, this maneuver only results in serious accidents.
2. Don’t drive below the speed limit unless necessary, like on congested roads. This habit keeps you safe when the other driver is driving on or higher than the speed limit.
3. Get out of the way by passing to another lane. You may also drive to a suitable parking space for a temporary stop while the other car drives away.

Proving the Liability When a Tailgater Hits Your Car

You have to determine who is liable for the car crash when filing a case. California is a Pure Comparative Negligence state, so you and the other driver may share the fault for the accident.

For example, you may have stepped on the brakes to scare away the other driver, but their car hit your vehicle instead. The court may distribute the fault between you and the other driver because both contribute to the car crash.

The other driver is at fault because they drove too close to your car. You are also at fault because of suddenly stepping on the brakes without valid reasons.

However, you may get a lesser or zero fault percentage if you have valid reasons for stepping on the brakes. An example is when you suddenly need to stop because of a road obstacle in front of your car.

Thus, you should prove that you are not at fault for the car accident when filing a case against the other driver.

Consult an Auto Accident Lawyer in Burbank to Support Your Road Accident Case

Following the tips above helps you avoid car crashes caused by a tailgater. However, you should immediately file a case if a tailgater hits you on the road.

A Burbank auto accident attorney will help you face a challenging case against a tailgater and get fruitful outcomes.