How to Avoid Rear-End Accidents
There’s really nothing more frustrating that getting rear-ended. Rear-end Accidents can range from simple aggravation to serious injury – or worse.
You’ve been driving along, doing all the right Driverthink type of stuff, and you pull to a stop. Suddenly there’s the sickening sound of crunching car parts and it’s happening at your rear bumper.
Now you’re faced with anything from the loss of your banged up buggy while it’s in the body shop, to a day or more in the hospital recovering from the injury. It can really wreak havoc with a busy schedule, not to mention your car or your body parts.
It might seem like there’s nothing we can do to avoid this type of accident. If a car plows into us while we’re stopped in traffic with no avenue of escape, there probably isn’t. But there are things we can do to try to avoid the predicament. Let’s Driverthink about some of them.
There are fundamentally two types of Rear-end bang ups.
• The “Dead Stop” Rear-end accident occurs when you’re at a (you guessed this one right?) Dead Stop. Someone simply plows into you for any number of usually inexcusable reasons.
• The second is the “Quick Stop” bang up. You suddenly have to make a quick stop and the driver behind you either doesn’t see the problem quickly enough, or doesn’t have quite the reaction time to stop without whacking you.
Avoiding either of these accidents is all about anticipation. We need to know what’s around us and anticipate the possible risks before they actually rearrange the rear design of our buggy.
In attempting to avoid either of these accidents, there are three basic considerations.
• First, make sure the brake lights are working. An easy way to check more often, without requiring a helper, is to back up or steer away from a reflective store window or door and check your rear view mirror while braking.
• Speaking of the rear-views, make sure they’re adjusted properly and use them. We need to know who’s behind us – and more importantly, how they’re behaving.
• Avoid the “Stop on my Tail-gater”. This is the guy who always stops two inches from your rear bumper. Eventually he’ll miscalculate and even if he doesn’t, the fact that he stopped so close, will make you an instant casualty if he gets Rear-ended. Lose him.
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Avoiding the “Dead Stop” bang up is all about those rear-views. You’ve got to know who’s behind you and how she’s driving. If the driver’s obvious lack of skill or caution is making you leery, get out of her way before she lands in your back seat. Let her get around you and become someone else’s problem. You might also:
• Leave a little room in front of you and “watch that rearview”. If the buggy behind you is slowing but you see he’s just not going to make it, you may be able to inch forward and give him extra room.
• Try to leave yourself an opening. Even if it’s cutting across another stopped car or jumping up onto a center median it beats getting whacked.
The “Quick Stop” Rear-ender is trickier.
• If you’re stopped at a merge, when you go, Go! Make sure you’re clear before you pull out. If you suddenly start up and then see something to make you quickly stop again, it’s likely the car behind you will end up on you’re bumper.
• Try not to Panic Stop. Often you’ll see something you immediately need to avoid and lock your brakes instantly – especially if you happen to be of the “really quick reactions” persuasion. You may not really have to stop that quickly, so again, glance in that rearview and try to stop quickly enough, but not so quickly that your back bumper buddy can’t avoid ugly impact.
Avoiding Rear-ending someone else, is much more a matter of common sense – which is why many States make it a “presumption of guilt”.
• Pay attention. Not good to be text-messaging, when you’re coming to a stop.
• Leave a safe distance between yourself and the car in front of you.
• Forward Look past the car in front of you – if you can. What is she seeing that you might want to know about?
• Avoid the “Insurance Fraud”. This is the guy who wants you to Rear-end him, so he can collect for ten years of neck brace. If you’re tailgating him, you’re a perfect target for his fraud.
The best way to avoid being Rear-ended is to know everything that’s going on around you. In front of you, beside you – and most importantly, behind you. If you identify a problem, get out from in front of it – before it ends up in your back seat!
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I like the tips here. I have used them myself. I don't do it often enough, but looking through the car in front of you is a great idea that used to be taught in driver's ed.
Rear end accidents will be aggravated if more communities and states adopt camera based enforcement. We need to make sure that we can slow down that momentum as well as be aware of our surroundings.
Great column, by the way.
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I was rear ended yesterday. This is my first accident involving another car (I backed into a pole once). There was very little damage to my bumper - really just the imprint from the other car's plate holder and minor scratches. Needless to say, I did not exchange information because I did not feel the need to pursue anything. Was this a bad choice? I would have exchanged info if there was significant damage.
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Your probably okay Alma.
It's a tough choice whether to wait for police or lick your wounds and move on -- especially if you're pressed for time.
What you have to watch for is any injury that might creep up on you and/or any "hidden" damage that might have occurred (frame damage to the car etc.)
Only you can really be the judge of that, based on the severity of the impact.
Good Luck - Driverthink.
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Great article and nice tips.Rear end accidents will be aggravated if more communities and states adopt camera based enforcement. We need to make sure that we can slow down that momentum as well as be aware of our surroundings.
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Good post, but have you thought about How to Avoid Rear-End Accidents before?
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Yes I have. The only two accidents ("knock wood") that I have ever had were when I was rear-ended. I spent a bit of time analyzing how, even though I wasn't at fault, I could have possibly avoided them. Always gotta' be "Driverthink"ing!
This article was a result of my thinking about them and similar incidents I (we) have all seen.
Thanks as always, for the comment.
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Rear end accidents will be aggravated if more communities and states adopt camera based enforcement. We need to make sure that we can slow down that momentum as well as be aware of our surroundings.
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What is the latest safety system adopted in cars for foolproof signalling and avoiding overtaking Accidents?
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I'm really not sure which of a few you are referring to. Perhaps you could share with us, which one you are thinking about. Thanks
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This post offers very good advice to drivers who don’t want to be part of a rear end collision. Car insurance rates go up after accidents like that, but it is nothing compared to the emotional trauma and the hassle of getting the car claim sorted. The point by point tips you offer here are concrete bits of advice that drivers can take to heart to ensure that they are not accidental victims. It’s a pity that more of the aggressive drivers on the road who are raising car insurance rates for everyone aren’t more mindful of these thoughtful rules for good, safe driving!
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This one is nice blog to comment.
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Rear end accidents are very common, if I were to make a list I would probably start with a good car insurance followed by crash avoiding tip. In many cases is not the driver's fault.
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hello, this is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting in your blog especially on how to determine the topic. keep up the good work.
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Great advice and defensive driving certainly helps avoid these instances. These are probably the most claimed for under car insurance policies as they happen quite often. I like the idea of those extra big brake lights in the back window as well as the normal ones just so you can be seen more easily. Rear enders can bring up injuries later as well so it does pay to get checked out if possible just to be sure and to have something on record is anything might crop up later.
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I've been rear ended three times this year. While these tips are nice, I'm not certain there is anything to do to avoid being rear ended in certain cases. Sometimes looking back can cause more harm than good. In the first accident this year, I looked in my mirror and saw the guy about to hit me. I tensed up really hard, and because I tensed up it made my injuries worse. I think these yahoos that can't drive need to get off the road.
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Rear end accidents will be aggravated if more communities and states adopt camera based enforcement. We need to make sure that we can slow down that momentum as well as be aware of our surroundings.
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Thanks for the tips :)
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there is no use of giving tips to avoid Rear-End Accidents, rash drivers after reading all this stuffs make more mistakes and accidents.
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Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It's always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained!
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that was a great posting done by Frank Miller on the "How to Avoid Rear-End Accidents",
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Great tips.We experienced an accident not long ago. We had a heated argument and the driver smashed the right side mirror.I was frustrated and afraid. I reported it to the authorities but the driver sped off.That was my first and last though.Dependable Auto Shippers
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Forwarded this to some friends, appreciate your advice
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Forwarded this to some friends, appreciate your advice
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Thank you, some of my friens are reckless drivers.
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