If you ever end up getting injured in an accident of any sort, it is most likely to be on a road or highway. Vehicle accidents are more common than any others. And if you are injured in a vehicle accident, it is more likely as a result of a rear end collision. They are the most common type of auto accident.
Auto accidents can result in horrendous injuries as well as fatalities.
If you have been injured in an auto accident of any type you are probably wondering how you are going to survive financially.
It’s bad enough being injured through no fault of your own, but having to pay for medical bills and lose income just makes it unbearable.
You may be able to file a personal injury compensation claim against the person who caused the accident on your own, but it is preferable to get professional help from an auto accident attorney.
Rear End Collisions: The Most Common Auto Accident
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) keeps a good record of all types of vehicle accidents and what causes them as well as the numbers of injuries and fatalities, year by year.
The percentage of rear end collisions changes a little every year, but statistics from the last five years shows that these sorts of accidents are between 25 to 40% of all auto accidents.
That means there is a rear end collision happening somewhere in the U.S. every 10 seconds. By the time you have read through this paragraph, there will be yet another accident caused by someone smashing into the rear end of the vehicle in front.
Why Rear End Collisions Are So Common
Rear end collisions happen mainly because the vehicle that is following another vehicle in front is not allowing sufficient space so that it can stop in time if the front vehicle stops suddenly.
There are very few exceptions to who is at fault in a rear end collision. Of course, there are many different reasons why the car at the back is too close, but very few are good ones.
Rear end collisions happen when the driver of the auto at the back:
- is drunk or has been taking drugs which affect the way he or she drives;
- is too tired to concentrate on what they are doing;
- is an aggressive driver and is trying to intimidate the driver in front;
- is distracted by something, typically a handheld device like a cell phone or tablet;
- has defective brakes or steering;
- loses control of their vehicle;
- is driving too fast for the conditions.
With more drivers than ever using their cell phones, despite many more states making this a punishable offense it is no surprise that rear end collisions are not getting any less likely.
Injuries Due To A Rear End Collision
The majority of rear end collisions happen when the vehicles involved are not necessarily traveling that fast, less than 10 mph is common.
That means that serious injuries are usually less common than with head on collisions, side swipes or t-boned accidents. However, injuries to the spine, legs, chest, head and neck still happen and rear end collisions are the most likely cause of injuries like whiplash, when an accident victim’s neck is suddenly “whipped” forwards during the collision and then just as fast whips back again.
Whiplash injuries may not be noticeable until several days or even a week or two after a rear end collision and are hard to diagnose. Just because injuries do not seem so serious doesn’t mean that hospital visits are not necessary.
You can be seriously out of pocket if someone hits you in the rear when driving. You may want to contact a personal injury attorney to see if you are eligible for damages.
It is best to contact an experienced auto accident lawyer as soon as possible after an accident when the events are fresher in the memories of any witnesses and crucial evidence is easier for your lawyer to obtain in order to prove the other driver was negligent.
