You are driving along when another vehicle hits you from behind. You step out of the car in shock to be met by a volley of abuse from the other driver trying to blame it all on you. Are they right?
Rear-end collisions are generally the fault of the driver behind
Rear-end collisions account for around a third of all multi-vehicle incidents. Drivers who run into another car from behind often claim it was not their fault. They may accuse you of braking for no reason, braking too hard or braking without enough warning. They might even try to claim that your brake lights were not working. Having just destroyed the entire rear of your car, there is little chance they could prove that your lights were faulty.
Typically the real reason for the crash is that the driver behind did not leave enough space for the conditions or was distracted and did not see your brake lights.
Drivers need to accept that the car in front may need to slow down or brake suddenly. For instance, if a dog runs out in front of you, or a child’s ball rolls into the road, and you fear they will chase it.
What should you do if hit from behind?
If another vehicle hits you from behind, there is no need to listen to their protests. You are almost certainly in the right. Get their details and call the police. Once you leave the accident scene, you should get a medical check-up to ensure you have not suffered any kind of neck, head or spinal injury. Find out more about what to do if a driver crashes into you from behind and how to hold them responsible.