TAILGATING AND THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF AUTO ACCIDENTS IN KANSAS CITY
On behalf of Hyland Law Firm, LLC posted in Kansas Personal Injury Attorney on Monday, June 17, 2013.
Highly experienced Kansas City personal injury attorneys are well aware that rear-end collisions are one of the leading cause of injuries to drivers across the State as well as the nation as a whole. Undoubtedly, rear-end crashes are often very serious, and can involve life threatening injuries to the neck, spine, brain and other sensitive parts of the body. Unfortunately, rear-end collisions often cause death to its victims, given that when people tailgate, especially at high speeds, they do not always have the ability to slow down so as to avoid hitting the car in front of them. At any speed however, tailgating is dangerous and creates serious risks to all drivers involved. As such, tailgaters must be held responsible for their actions, the consequences of which could have easily been avoided had they kept a safe distance from the driver in front of them.
Overall, the main cause of Kansas City rear-end collisions is rather straightforward. When drivers fail to maintain a reasonable distance from the car in front of them, they vastly reduce their ability to react if the other driver, for whatever reason, needs to apply their brakes. Most of the time, tailgating victims notice that they are being followed too closely by the car behind them, yet they unfortunately are unable to either predict or control the other driver's actions.
According to Kansas automobile accident statistics, rear-end collisions accounted for a significant proportion of injuries and car crashes within the State. Nationwide, the statistics are equally daunting. Specifically, there are an astonishing 2.5 million rear end collisions each year, causing numerous deaths and serious injuries to most parties involved - including the offenders. What then, can you do to prevent a rear-end collision?
Always maintain a safe distance from other drivers, no matter what.
If someone is tailgating you, you don't have to tolerate it. Pull over and let the driver pass you. While letting them "win" so to speak can be frustrating, it can often mean the difference between life and death.
If possible, write down the license plate number and make and model of the tailgating offender's vehicle. If you see a police officer, alert them that you are being or have been tailgated and be ready to provide said information in the event that the tailgater is no longer within your vicinity. With the aforementioned information, you can also file a police report due to the tailgater's dangerous behavior.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a rear-end collision in Kansas City, be sure to contact my office today for a free consultation. As an attorney with over twenty years of legal experience, I have successfully helped thousands of accident victims fight for the money they deserve. I look forward to providing you or your loved one with superior legal representation.