Most Common Causes of a Rear-End Collision

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Car Accidents

Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of accidents experienced by any driver on American roads. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), not only are they among the most frequently-occurring type of accident, rear-end collisions are also a leading cause of injuries, fatalities, and property damage caused in motor vehicle accidents. Most rear-end collisions can be avoided or analyzed only by understanding driver behavior leading up to the crash.

Younger drivers were by far the drivers who experienced such roadway crashes most frequently—first drivers under the age of 18, and then drivers 18–24-years-old. The number of rear-end collisions then declined steadily, until it spiked again involving drivers over the age of 69. The most obvious reason for this is, of course, due to delayed reaction times or an inability to maintain control of the car in difficult weather conditions.

Some research indicates that up to 50 percent of rear-end incidents occur because the driver is distracted. Incidents can include crashes and near-crashes. Of the 6,177 rear-end collisions with a lead vehicle studied for this report, more than one quarter (26 percent) involved a distracted driver. Driving related inattention (such as looking out the window or playing with the radio), when combined with internal distraction (reaching for an object or having a pet in the vehicle), were present in 39 percent of all distraction-related crashes.

Cell phone use is a large contributing factor to the frequency of rear-end collisions. Drivers who experienced a crash were never observed having used a wireless device at the time of incident, while 22 percent of near-crashes and 31 percent of incidents did involve a driver who was using a wireless device.

Rear-end collisions can result in serious injury, especially incidents of whiplash or spinal cord injury. These can have long-lasting impacts on a person’s life for years to come, including the ability to work in the capacity to which he or she was accustomed.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a rear-end collision, the most important step is to seek legal counsel. Do not go through it alone. Contact an experienced Lake County motor vehicle accident attorney today.