An experienced attorney, like the Auto Accident Lawyers Indianapolis, IN trust, devotes a good deal of his or her practice to representing injured and deceased victims in rear-end collisions. Most road patrol officers will tell you that rear-end collisions are the principal reason for highway fatalities; and vehicles following too closely can spur a chain reaction of injuries and fatalities. The striking vehicles-particularly those heavier than the lead vehicle-traveling at a high rate of speed, are the main causes of road fatalities.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end crashes account for approximately one-third of all collisions, a notable number considering how many things can and do go wrong. The factors contributing to fatal rear-end crashes in light vehicles and motorcycles were analyzed in a study conducted by NHTSA. Below you will find the results of their statistical analysis:
1. In 27 of the 38 cases reviewed, the speed of the striking vehicle was the primary factor contributing to the fatalities.
2. The highest secondary factor contributing to 18 (48%) of 38 fatalities was the size of the striking vehicle in relationship to the lead vehicle; thirteen or 37% of the cases involved truck-trailer underride.
3. The highest secondary event contributing to the fatalities was the involvement of multiple vehicles in 4 of the cases; followed by the third highest event of post-crash fire in 3 of the cases studied.
4. In fourteen of the thirty-eight cases reviewed (37%), alcohol was a significant factor.
5. Improper restraint was responsible for the fatalities in 11.4% of the cases studied with the size of the lead vehicle (similar size or smaller than) relative to the striking vehicle
6. A medical condition accounted for one occupant’s death or .03%.
The Truck Accident Lawyer Experienced in Chain Reaction Rear-End Collisions
Based upon the data assessment above, NHTSA concluded that the deployment of collision warning systems in new vehicles would save lives. Today, seven years after the research was conducted, many new vehicles are factory-equipped with both front and rear warning systems-making our roads a little bit safer.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a rear-end collision, contact an experienced truck accident lawyer to protect the evidence and your legal rights.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Ward & Ward Law Firm for their insight into truck accident cases.