When collisions occur at intersections or during times of heavy traffic, people often see them coming but have no way to prevent them. For example, someone may have started making a left turn when another driver runs a light and crashes into them. The motorist conducting the legal left turn may see the danger approach but have no means of preventing the wreck without potentially causing another one.
Other times, Minnesota drivers may not know about the risk they’re navigating until the moment of contact. A rear-end crash is a perfect example. Someone already stopped at an intersection doesn’t expect another motorist to hit them from behind. Those traveling at a reasonable rate of speed don’t expect someone else to overtake them and hit their rear bumper. Can the person in the vehicle in front generally assume that the person in back was at fault for a rear-end crash?
Bad decisions cause most rear-end crashes
There is one bad traffic behavior that people associate with rear-end collisions, it would be tailgating. Some drivers will get aggressively close to the rear of other vehicles in traffic when the flow of traffic isn’t as fast as they would like. These motorists may become agitated and aggressive, and they sometimes cause rear-end crashes.
Other drivers make seemingly minor mistakes with major consequences. Driving too fast given the road conditions may mean that someone can’t stop in time or overtake other vehicles in traffic. Many drivers fail to leave proper space between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them to ensure that they can stop giving the weather. There should be at least three seconds of space between vehicles.
When the driver in the rear vehicle was aggressive, drove too fast or stayed too close to another vehicle, the driver of that vehicle will likely be the one at fault for the wreck. Sometimes, the driver in front is to blame because they merged directly in front of another vehicle or otherwise cut another driver off in traffic. Police officers will have to review the statements of both drivers and any objective evidence available to determine which motorist was technically at fault for a rear-end crash.=
Establishing fault is a very important stop for those who intend to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit after a Minnesota wreck. Although rear drivers are often at fault for rear-end crashes, this is not always the case.