Do you know who’s at fault in a car accident? When you’re involved in a car accident, you’ll probably tell yourself it wasn’t your fault – after all, that’s going to make you feel better and might even be a good way to help manage your stress levels after a traumatic event (even a minor car accident is sure to be upsetting). However, it’s wise to consider who really was at fault, especially if you have to go through your insurance or the police are involved. If the accident was down to you, you’ll need to know what steps to take next, so keep reading to find out more.
Side Impact Accidents
Although it’s not always easy to say who was at fault in an accident, and there may well be other circumstances and more information to add to any report you have to make, the fact is that if you’re involved in a side impact accident, where your car was the one that was hit by another car, then it’s unlikely to be your fault.
Most of the time, side impact accidents are caused when a car pulls out of a junction into the side of another car, or perhaps the driver ran a red light. In most situations, however, it’s the other driver who will be at fault. If you were that driver and you think you weren’t to blame, getting a car accident attorney to help you is a good idea.
Head On Collisions
A head-on collision can be harder to prove fault in, and it’s generally down to who was driving safely and who wasn’t. If, for example, a car was overtaking and crashed head-on into a car coming the other way, it’s the overtaking car who will be to blame as they didn’t take care to check their surroundings before making their move. Other negligent acts when driving that can lead to the accident being someone’s fault include using a phone, drink or drunk driving, being distracted, not being able to see through the windshield, and so on.
When it comes to a head-on collision, it’s not always easy to know who’s to blame, which is why you need to gather as much information as you can at the scene – try to remember what was happening and what you saw. This is the kind of instance when a car camera or dashcam can be really useful, and investing in one for your vehicle is a great idea, just in case.
Read End Collisions
Most people assume that if you’re hit from behind, it’s the other car’s fault, and that idea seems to have become one people instantly believe, no matter what the circumstances of the accident might be. It’s true that a lot of the time, the rear car is at fault in this kind of accident, often due to that driver not paying attention to what’s happening ahead of them or driving recklessly, but the truth is that it’s not always that clear-cut.
It might be that the front car was driving dangerously, for example, or perhaps that car’s brake lights were out, so the car behind didn’t have any warning of a sudden stop. Once again, the entire situation has to be looked at before a decision can be made.
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