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When Is A Rear-End Accident The Fault Of The Person In Front?

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When you hear about rear-end car accidents, you normally expect the person in the back to be considered the at-fault driver, simply because the person in back is the one who ran into the person in front of him or her. While this is normally the case, there are situations in which the front driver is actually the person responsible for the collision. If you were recently in a car accident where you rear-ended a driver in front of you, there is a chance that this accident was not your fault. Here are a couple examples of situations in which the front driver would be labeled the "at-fault" driver in a rear-end accident.

The front driver stops without any warning

If you are driving along when suddenly the driver in front of you stop quickly for no reason, there is a chance that he or she will be considered at-fault for the accident. Drivers should never abruptly stop on the road for no reason at all. Instead, they should give warnings that they are stopping, and there should be a reason they are stopping.

The front driver's brake lights were broken

Another example of a time when the front driver would be responsible is if he or she was driving a vehicle that did not have working brake lights. Brake lights are a vital part of driving, and they allow other drivers to know that they are stopping. If a person has no brake lights, there is no warning that he or she is stopping or is already stopped. If this is the case, the driver without brake lights will likely be responsible to pay for the accident.

The front driver was turning but then continued straight

If the driver in front of you had a left turn signal on and was braking, you can assume that he or she was planning on turning. In this situation, you might not slow down as much, assuming that you are giving the car plenty of time to turn. If this driver suddenly decides not to turn and continues going straight, it might not be your fault if you run into the back of his or her car.

These are just some examples of times when the front driver could be responsible to pay for the accident. If you suspect that the front driver in your rear-end accident is at fault, you should talk to a lawyer about your case to see if there is enough evidence to prove this. Contact accident attorneys at a company like Kaston & Aberle for more help with this and other situations.


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