Rear-End Car Accidents

Rear-end collisions are one of the most common type of car accidents. Almost one third of car accident injuries are due to rear collisions, with whiplash being the most common injury.

Rear-end collisions between two cars can be very serious. In general, the force of impact is roughly equal to crashing into a fixed surface like a wall at half the speed of the actual rear end collision. So a rear end collision for two cars at 50 kph has the same impact as each car in the collision hitting a wall at 25 kph. The force of impact is roughly distributed evenly between the two cars. Although less common, rear end collisions involving trucks and cars can be much more serious due to the impact of a large vehicle hitting a much smaller vehicle.

Causes of Rear End Car Accidents

The majority of rear end collisions are avoidable and are due to driver errors. Some of the causes of rear end car accidents include:

  • Inattentive driving, perhaps due to tiredness due to driving long distances without breaks or working long hours
  • Negligent driving, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Road works
  • Moving hazards on the road, such as animals or pedestrians
  • Fixed hazards on the road, such as roadworks
  • Weather conditions, especially fog or heavy rain
  • Wet roads, especially on uneven surfaces
  • Ice on roads, such as black ice
  • Distractions such as mobile phones
  • Faults in cars, such as damaged brakes in the following car or broken brake lights in the front car
  • Sudden braking by the front car, perhaps due to animals or pedestrians on the road
  • Poor signaling by the front before braking to turn corners or change lanes
  • Front car in collisions is parked on the road without hazard warning lights, perhaps due to breakdowns

However, the most simple explanations for rear end collisions is that the rear car was not keeping a safe distance combined with inattentiveness on the part of the driver in the rear car.

Determining Fault in Rear-End Car Accidents

Unless proven otherwise, the law and insurance companies generally assume that the rear-ending driver is at fault.

This default position does not take into account the many extenuating circumstances that explain why the front car may be fully or partially to blame. The front car often causes the accident by braking suddenly for a good reasons – such as to avoid hazard on the road. However, this still does not excuse the rear car from at least some level of blame because safe breaking distances must be maintained.

Of course, the front car could actually have reversed into the rear car – making it look like a rear end collision. This can be difficult to prove unless a third party witness sees that the front car is still in reverse gear, or there is video surveillance available, or that the front car driver accepts liability.

Another factor in rear end collisions is that the front car may have advanced breaking systems (such as ABS) and the rear car may simply not be able to decelerate as efficiently. It should be noted that the safe breaking distances are only averages and do not in any way take into account slower than average reaction times or differences in breaking technology in different cars.

Multiple car collisions are often very complicated to sort out and blame is often apportioned using percentages.

In all cases, you certainly need the advice of a solicitor to determine the likely liability of the parties involved.

Preventing Rear-End Car Accidents

A car that hits the rear end of another car is clearly not following basic safely guidelines.

Some ways to avoid rear end collision include avoiding distractions like mobile phone conversations, maintaining brakes and tyres, and of course, remembering to keep a safe distance.

The Road Safety Authority of Ireland states that you must be able to stop your car:

  • safely, in a controlled way
  • on the correct side of the road
  • within the distance that you can see to be clear
  • without risk or harm to you, your passengers and/or any other users of the road.

The Road Safety Authority of Ireland recommends that cars should keep a two second gap at all times.

How many drivers know what the typical safe stopping distances are? At 30 kph, it is about 11 meters; at 50 kp/h, it is about 24 meters; and at 100 kph, it is about 78 meters.

It is fair to say that most drivers have no real idea about the safe stopping distance for their vehicle. This is undoubtably due to the number of factors involved, including braking technology, tyre pressure, type of tyre tread and grip, the weight of the vehicle, the vehicle suspension system, the type of road surface, the weather and road surface conditions. However, the two most important factors are the speed of the car and the reaction time of the driver.

Although most drivers understand that the breaking distance is longer when a car is going faster, few drivers realise how breaking distances increases as a car goes faster. For example, the stopping distance in dry conditions at 50 kph is 24 meters whereas the stopping distance at 100 kph is 78 meters. So while the spead doubles, the breaking distance triples.

Most drivers understand that breaking distances are longer in wet conditions, but few realise that they are about 50% longer at lower speeds and up to 70% longer at higher speeds.

Injuries from Rear-End Collisions

Rear end collisions can cause serious injuries to the spinal cord, fractures, concussion, and traumatic brain injuries. However, the most likely injury is whiplash. It is perfectly normal to only feel whiplash symptoms a few days after an accident. You should always seek medical attention immediately you suspect that you might be injured.

Summary

  • Rear end car accidents account for almost one third of car accident injuries, with whiplash, spinal damage and brain injuries being the most commonly reported ailments.
  • The majority of rear end car accidents are due to driver error – most frequently the driver who approached from the rear.
  • Causes of rear end car accidents are typically due to drivers leaving insufficient braking distance between them and the car in front of them.
  • Inattentive drivers and poor weather conditions are also responsible for many rear end car accidents, but irrespective of the cause, your first concern should be for your health and that of any passengers.
  • After any rear end car accidents, make sure you seek professional medical attention and have an examination to ascertain any injuries.
  • Thereafter, speak with a solicitor about claiming compensation for injuries sustained in rear end car accidents on our free advice telephone service.

Eoin P. Campbell About the Author
Eoin P. Campbell is an honours law graduate (LL.B) and qualified solicitor whose primary professional experience is the area of litigation and in particular personal injury claims. Eoin P. Campbell is currently lecturing in law at two universities in Lyon, France.