Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of auto accidents. In almost every case, these crashes are the fault of the driver that struck the second vehicle from behind, regardless of the reason the front driver stopped. Most basic traffic laws require motorists to leave enough space in front of them to be able to safely adjust if the vehicles ahead slow down or stop.

There are, however, some exceptions to this general rule.

One common exception is a rear-end accident involving multiple vehicles. If, for example, car A slams into car B from behind and the force of the collision causes car B to rear end car C, car B would not be considered liable for the second collision. Instead, the driver of car A would likely be the liable party for the entire chain of accidents, as the driver of car B could not be expected to prevent the second crash.

In another scenario, car A could slam into the rear of car B, and the driver could not be considered responsible for the accident if a driver in car C had committed a traffic violation that forced the driver in car B to come to a sudden stop. In this case, car C’s driver may be liable for the crash.

Finally, the rear-ended driver could also be responsible for the accident in a few rare circumstances. If the rear-ended driver had malfunctioning brake lights or stopped in the middle of a lane after blowing a tire, that person could share at least some responsibility.

Determining fault can be difficult in some cases. If you could use assistance after a car accident in the La Plata area, work with the experienced lawyers at Mudd, Mudd & Fitzgerald, P.A.