Tailgating is one of the most common causes of car accidents in the United States. Some research suggests that tailgating contributes to one-third of all car accidents and more than three-quarters of all collisions involving drivers with six or fewer years of driving experience. The rate at which tailgating contributes to car accidents in Sacramento might be even greater since the city ranks as one of the worst for aggressive driving practices in the nation.
If you’ve been injured in a tailgating car accident in Sacramento, it’s imperative that you call the award-winning legal team at Singleton Schreiber.
Someone else was reckless by following your vehicle too closely, and they should be held accountable for the consequences of the wreck. Our Sacramento car accident lawyers have helped clients win over $3 Billion in monetary awards. Now, we’re here to invest the time, resources, and skills needed to get you top results after a tailgating crash, too.
Contact our law office in Sacramento, California, to discuss your tailgating car accident. Your initial case review is free.
What is Tailgating?
Tailgating occurs when a rear motorist follows the vehicle in front of them too closely. Whether or not a motorist is tailgating is subjective. It changes from one situation to another.
That’s because the distance a vehicle will require to stop safely varies, depending on a number of different factors, including:
- The speed at which the vehicle(s) are moving
- Road and weather conditions
- The weight of the rear vehicle
- Whether the driver of the rear vehicle is distracted, drowsy, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Auto defects potentially limiting the effectiveness of vehicle braking systems
While there’s no hard-and-fast rule about how much distance should be left between vehicles in motion, the general consensus is that drivers should follow a “three-second” rule. As the rear motorist, choose a fixed object on the side of the road. Watch the vehicle in front of you pass it. If it takes you less than three seconds to pass that same fixed object, you’re likely following the vehicle in front of you too closely.
Why Do Drivers Tailgate?
Tailgating can be a conscious choice or the result of driver negligence. Some of the most common causes of tailgating include:
Aggressive Driving
Tailgating is one of the most common ways that aggressive driving manifests itself.
A driver might intentionally drive too closely to the vehicle in front of them because they:
- Believe the lead driver cut them off
- Think the lead driver isn’t going fast enough
- Want to “beat” a red or yellow light at an approaching intersection
- Squeeze between vehicles when changing lanes
Road rage can trigger tailgating, especially if the rear driver believes that they’ve been wronged. Sometimes, factors unrelated to driving - like a personal fight or getting fired from a job - can affect a driver’s judgment and cause them to lash out and ride the bumper of the car in front of them.
Distracted Driving
A motorist who’s reading or writing a text, checking social media, talking on the phone, or engaged in conversation with a passenger might not notice that they’ve crept up on the vehicle in front of them.
Drunk Driving and Drugged Driving
Drug and alcohol use impairs a motorist’s ability to think and reason clearly. Substances can also impair cognitive function and spatial reasoning, which are all critical when calculating how much space should be left between vehicles in traffic.
What Evidence Can Help Me Prove a Tailgating Driver Caused My Sacramento Car Accident?
When another driver’s intentionally harmful actions or negligence cause a car accident, they can be liable when the crash causes property damage, personal injury, or wrongful death. In California, crash victims initially have the right to seek monetary benefits from a tailgating driver’s insurance company.
However, the motorist’s insurance company will demand proof that their insured driver was, in fact, at fault for the crash. It’ll be up to you, as the plaintiff of the car accident claim, to prove it.
Several pieces of evidence can potentially be helpful in demonstrating that another driver was tailgating you, including:
- Video surveillance footage, including recordings from red light cameras, vehicle dash cams, doorbell cameras, and nearby store cameras
- Eyewitness statements and testimony
- Tire tracks created by the rear vehicle when the defendant hit the brakes
- Property damage, including damage to the rear of your vehicle and the front of the tailgating driver’s vehicle
- Expert testimony from accident reconstructionists, forensics specialists, and property damage evaluators
- Police reports and accident reports indicating weather and road conditions, as well as citations that might have been issued against the rear driver
The more evidence you have to demonstrate that the defendant was following your vehicle too closely and that their tailgating caused your car accident, the more likely it becomes that you can recover compensation for your crash-related damages, including money for medical bills, lost wages, vehicle repairs, disability, and pain and suffering.
Tailgating Crash Victims in Sacramento Trust Singleton Schreiber
Whether another driver tailgated you on purpose or because they were careless, you shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences on your own. However, taking on their insurance company won’t be easy. Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney in Sacramento, CA, is one of the best choices you can make.
Choosing Singleton Schreiber puts award-winning California car accident attorneys with decades of experience in your corner. We’ll launch a thorough investigation into your tailgating car accident, gather key pieces of evidence, enlist respected experts, and do everything in our power to make sure that you’re properly compensated for your losses and suffering.
Our case results include over $2.5 Billion in settlements and jury awards. Let us be your fearless advocates and fight to make a difference in your life after a tailgating car accident in Sacramento, too. You have a limited time to file a car accident claim in California, so contact our Sacramento law office to set a time for your free consultation today.
