WHO IS RESPONSIBLE IN A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT?
It is difficult to answer the question, “how is fault determined in a multi-car accident”. Deciding fault in a two car accident is challenging. That challenge only increases with the involvement of more vehicles in an auto accident. While easier said than done, a multi-car accident investigation attempts to identify the negligent driver. A negligent driver’s actions may have caused other vehicles to make their own negligent or dangerous decisions. With numerous factors involved, there is usually a thorough investigation to determine who is responsible in a multi-car accident.
According to HG.org, the first person to slam into the next driver is normally the at-fault driver in a multi-car accident. However, fault may move to a different party due to other factors. An initial collision may have been caused by an inability to stop due to weather, poor visibility, or road conditions. Every multi-vehicle collision is unique. This requires investigators to conduct an extensive accident breakdown to reach fair judgement for all parties involved. This investigation may include gathering pictures, security video, and police reports of the accident.
WHAT IS A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT?
The definition of a multi-car accident is as a crash involving more than two vehicles. Multiple vehicle accidents can occur in various ways, such as rear-end chain reaction collisions, lane change accidents, and intersection accidents. In many cases, multi-vehicle accidents occur because additional drivers have no time to stop or maneuver around an initial collision.
MOST COMMON CAUSES OF MULTI-VEHICLE COLLISIONS
As mentioned above, there are various causes to multi-vehicle accidents. In some cases, an initial collision occurs, which leads to additional vehicle crashes due to the inability to stop or maneuver around the initial crash. The most common example of this is a “pile-up” that may occur on a highway from an initial collision.
Another common cause of a multi-car crash is a “chain reaction collision”. Nolo.com defines a chain reaction collision as a traffic accident that occurs when three or more vehicles hit one another in a series of rear-end accidents that are caused primarily by the force of the first collision. A stopped vehicle being rear-ended and pushed into the car in front of them is a common example.
PROVING FAULT IN A CHAIN REACTION COLLISION
It is easy to say the driver that initiated the multi-car accident is at fault. Unfortunately, these auto accident claims are not that simple. A vehicle may have indirectly caused a multi-vehicle collision from reacting to an additional vehicle’s carelessness. In other cases, these accidents may involve multiple careless drivers. This situation leads to figuring out each driver’s liability share. Since each multi-car collision is unique, investigations are usually extensive to reach a fair decision for all of the parties involved.
According to Nolo.com, one road rule that is involved in most chain reaction accidents is that drivers must leave a safe following distance between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them. This rule is in place for drivers to have enough reaction time for immediate stops. If a driver is not maintaining a safe following distance and rear-ends a driver in front of them, the second driver is almost always at fault.
As additional drivers are involved in an accident, answering the question, “how is fault determined in a multiple car accident”, becomes more complicated. This complex fault-finding is especially true in a chain reaction collision because investigators work to determine the order in which the collisions occurred, and whether the initial crash directly caused additional auto accidents.
IMPORTANT EVIDENCE FOR DETERMING WHO IS RESPONSIBLE IN A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT
Evidence is critical in determining who is at fault in a multiple car accident. The evidence listed below will help to determine the order of impacts and identify the careless drivers.
- Eyewitness accounts – The number of witnesses add up in multi-vehicle accident claims. Possible witnesses include all of the drivers involved in the collision, passengers in any of the involved cars, passengers in surrounding vehicles not involved in the accident, and other surrounding on-lookers.
- Police reports – These reports are usually written up at the accident scene and include the officer’s findings, witness observation, and the reporting of any traffic violations.
- Accident Scene Evidence – Plenty of evidence can be gathered on the scene of the accident including pictures of vehicle damage, skid marks, and vehicle debris.
LEGAL HELP FOR MULTI-CAR ACCIDENTS
If you have suffered a multiple car accident, hiring the services of an experienced and educated attorney is important. Auto accident lawyers lead the investigation process and handle the evidence collection process. One specialized evidence service offered by law firms is accident scene reconstruction.
At Spear Greenfield, our attorneys have over 200 years of combined experience in guiding victims through their auto accident claims. We succeed in evidence collection and specialize in accident investigation. Rand Spear and his legal team understand the complicated rules and laws surrounding multiple car accidents. As top attorneys in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we aggressively fight to represent your best interests!
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