These Three Things Can Cause A Rear-End New Haven Auto Accident

Getting into a New Haven auto accident can be incredibly jarring and cause you to become shaken, increasing your heart rate. When that accident is a rear-end accident it gets even worse. A rear-end accident may literally come out of nowhere and while you may not be expecting any accident, a rear-end accident can be even harder to see coming. These accidents can be particularly damaging to your vehicle and injure you quite severely, even if they happen at low speeds. It is for this reason that you need to be on the lookout for the causes of a rear-end accident so you can work to avoid them.

There is, of course, no way to completely avoid an accident, especially a rear-end accident, therefore you should take all of the steps that are required to keep you safe in the event that you do get into an accident. First and foremost one of the most important safety steps you can take is to wear your seat belt. There is good news here as roughly 90% of all drivers report wearing their seat belt, which is an incredibly high number. If you’re one of those people, that’s great. If you are not, you should make sure that you become one of those people so you are not compromising your safety in the event that you do get into an accident.

Another safety precaution you should take to keep yourself and your passengers free from injuries is to make sure all of the equipment in your vehicle is functioning properly. You will want to regularly check to make sure your headlights and break lights are functioning as they are supposed to. You could confirm that your turn signals are working well. You will also want to make sure that your mirrors are usable and providing you with the type of visibility you need to stay safe. Finally, you will want to check on the tread on your tires. If your treads are low, you may need to replace the tires to insure your safety and the safety of those who are riding with you.

If you’ve checked all of these boxes, you will want to now understand the causes that sometimes lead to rear-end accidents and how to avoid them. While many of these causes are similar to those that may cause a regular auto accident, some of them are more severe in the event of a rear-end collision. All of them are important to know and to take note of before you get behind the wheel of a car.

1.) Distracted Driving: This is the most important thing you can avoid when you are driving. It is critical that you keep your eyes on the road in front of you and all of your attention on the task of driving safely when you are behind the wheel. You should never take a moment away to check in on a notification on your phone or to change the navigation while you’re vehicle is moving. If you absolutely must change the navigation or do something on your phone you should find a place that is safe to pull over and come to a complete stop before using these devices. Other distractions may include conversations with passengers and eating or drinking while you’re driving.

2.) Tailgating. The distance that you choose to follow the vehicle in front of you could be the difference between getting into a serious accident or staying safe. This can become particularly challenging in stop and go traffic when most cars are quite close together. When this happens you will still want to maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front of you and never tailgate. When you are driving at the speed limit, tailgating is even more dangerous as it may lead to a serious accident if the vehicle you are following has to unexpectedly come to a stop and you aren’t able to anticipate it in time. In this case, your following distance may not be sufficient and an accident may occur.

3.) Sudden Braking. As mentioned above the vehicles around you can be unpredictable and may cause you to get into a rear-end accident. The same can be true for you as well. If you are not paying attention to your need to brake and you do so suddenly, the vehicles around you may become unaware that you are stopping and not have enough time to come to a complete stop before they hit your vehicle. To avoid this, you would need to be paying close attention to the road in front of you and anticipate your braking so that when you do need to step on the brakes you’re able to do so without doing it suddenly and making it so you are catching the drivers around you off guard.

There is no way to completely prevent a New Haven auto accident, but there are some steps you can take to make sure you are driving as safely as possible. Knowing some of the causes of a rear-end accident can go a long way in making sure that you avoid these causes all together and therefore decrease your risk of getting into this type of accident. If drivers in and around the Elm City understand these causes as well and do their best to avoid them then we will be moving in a good direction to reduce or eliminate rear-end accidents all together.

When an accident happens and injuries or property damage occurs you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience with your type of situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.