About 28 percent of all motor vehicle accidents that occur each year in the U.S. are rear-end collisions, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Despite the fact that many rear-end accidents occur when vehicles are going relatively slowly and, as a result, tend to result in only minor damage, in the worst cases, rear-end collisions can have catastrophic – even fatal – outcomes.
Such devastating results are most likely to occur when:
- The second vehicle (i.e., the vehicle behind the rear-ended car) is traveling at higher speeds.
- The first vehicle is a truck or large, taller vehicle, which can increase the chances of underride accidents (i.e. accidents in which passenger vehicles become lodged or trapped beneath trucks).
- Motorcycles are involved in these collisions (regardless of whether the motorcycle is in the front or behind position).
- The accident occurs on raised roads or roadways near drop-offs, causing the involved vehicles to fall or roll from the initial scene of the accident.
- The brakes, airbags or other critical equipment in vehicles malfunctions.
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Negligence and Rear-End Collisions
Tragically, many cases of rear-end collisions are caused by the negligence of another party, particularly other reckless or negligent drivers. In fact, some specific examples of driver negligence that is often linked to rear-end collisions includes (but is not limited to):
- Drunk or drugged driving (i.e. driving while intoxicated)
- Fatigued driving, which can have similar effects to drunk driving in that it delays motorists’ response times and impairs their ability to notice important driving cues
- Texting while driving, eating while driving and other forms of distracted driving
- Reckless driving, such as when drivers run red lights, speed, cut off other drivers or otherwise make a choice to disobey traffic laws.
Other forms of negligence that may also contribute to rear-end collisions can include:
- The negligence of companies that manufacture car brakes or other equipment in the event this equipment fails to work as cars are being driven
- The negligence of trucking companies if these entities encourage their drivers to violate trucking regulations or drive when fatigued or if these companies fail to properly maintain their vehicles
- The negligence of any entity that is responsible for keeping the road safe if, for instance, an intersection signal goes out or debris is left in the roadway for extended periods of time.
When accident victims suspect that any type of negligence may have caused their rear-end collision, they should meet with the skilled Littleton collision lawyers at the Law Office of Bahr, Kreidle & Flicker.
Bahr, Kreidle & Flicker: We Are Here for You
Since 1983, the auto accident lawyers at Bahr, Kreidle & Flicker have been defending the rights of injured people and tirelessly standing up against injustice, inequality and intolerance. Our lawyers know how serious and devastating the impacts of rear-end collisions can be, and we know that many injured people rely on compensation to get the medical treatments they need. That’s why we are dedicated to helping injured people hold negligent parties responsible and ultimately helping accident victims get the highest possible awards for their injuries and losses.
Contact Us for a Free Case Evaluation to Learn More
If you or a loved one has been injured in a rear-end collision accident or in any type of traffic accident, our Littleton car accident lawyers invite you to get more information about your potential case and rights by meeting with us for a free, no obligations initial consultation. To set up a meeting, call us at (303) 794-7422 or email us using the form on this page.
From our law offices in Littleton, we represent clients throughout Colorado, including in the Denver Metro Area, Arapahoe County, Adams County, Jefferson County and in the cities of Lakewood, Highlands Ranch, Lonetree, Castlerock, Westminster, Centennial and Aurora.
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