Recently, we've been involved in a car accident on Motorway. Long queue, driving 20~30mph, 3~4yards away from the car in front. Then, the car in front of us, first car, suddenly braked. So I too had to brake. Just before my car, as second, stopped or touched the first car, a car behind us, third, which had been pushed by fourth, pushed us into the first car and fourth's got most damage on his front. We exchanged tel/reg no but first car drove away as soon as he got mine and we got his. Then my husband thought it'd be good idea to confirm the fact and write down with rest of us, second~fourth. However, we, second, weren't then very clear whether we touched first at first or third car pushed us into first at first. Anyway, he hand-wrote "Because of the sudden brake by first car we, second, stopped and just touched first car then third car stopped but fourth car pushed third car into second car, us, then second car pushed the first car."..Then Police turned up. How much am I responsible?
2007-12-31 08:36:30 · 20 answers · asked by beak 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Insurance & Registration
The law is quite simple.
If you run into the back of another vehicle regardless of the circumstances them you are to blame.
However if as you seem to indicate the only reason you hit the person in front is that the vehicle behind you shunted you forward into it then you are in the clear.
Simple as that.
Be warned though if it should come to court,beware the very clever barrister for the guy in front!
P.S if you say in court that you were driving at 20-30 mph at 3-4 yards behind the vehicle in front then I would seriously read your highway code and look at the stopping distances therein before putting your foot well and truely in your mouth!
2007-12-31 08:57:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
I don't think you are to blame for this accident, i don't think anyone is, but when you said about the first car just drove off quickly, I thought he may be guilty of something. Did anything else happen infront of the 1st car, because maybe he saw the others brake infront of him, and paniced?? but if you drive into the back of someone, it is the law, you are responsible. But that also means you, third and fourth are responsible. What did the police say??!? But it is not anyone's fault!! It is only an accident!!
Good Luck
2007-12-31 22:29:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For a start you were all driving too close.
Who is responsible for what I have no idea but I hope you are fully comp.so that the insurance can worry about it.
You are responsible for your front end damage the car behind is responsible for your damage at the rear and may be responsible for the damage to the car in front of you. However once your insurance company agrees that part of the fault was yours I would not worry about how much they have to pay. Your premium will increase solely on the fact that they have had to pay out not how much
2008-01-01 10:11:14 · answer #3 · answered by Scouse 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as all the cars were in motion when the accident occured, ie, not sitting parked at traffic signals, then you are only liable for the car you struck because you were travelling too close.
If another car hit your rear after you hit a car, then you claim from the car that hit your rear because he /she was also travelling too close.
If you were stationary when accident occured then you are not to blame. You have managed to pull up behind the vehicle in front in plenty of time and have stopped a resonable distance behind it.
It is the car behind you that is at fault by travelling too close/too fast and is unable to stop.
2008-01-02 12:10:07 · answer #4 · answered by weeebell 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You were too close to the car in front and because of that,your overall stopping distance 40-75 yards needed was more than the space you had allowed your self to stop,therefore causing other motorist who were probably too close aswell to do an emergency stop.on the insurance each collision is a separate claim.and each driver is at fault for hitting the car in front,but 1st driver is in the clear.
2014-11-10 12:00:14 · answer #5 · answered by paul 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The claim could be split between the the 4th and you, for the damage to your and and the one infront of you only. You should have said the 4th car hit the 3rd, which hit you which made you his the front car, then it would all go on the back car, i had someone go into the back of me which shunted me into the car infront. All went non fault. As the car behind me insurance paid out for it all
2008-01-01 11:06:33 · answer #6 · answered by L*D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From what you have described it would appear to be the last vehicles driver. However if there were two incidents, ie your vehicle hit vehicle one, then vehicle two hit you, you would be responsible for part of the damage to vehicle one.
Contact driver "one" and ask him/her if they felt one or two bumps. If one then it would appear to be either vehicle three or four's driver.
You are lucky that you have the details of vehicle four.
However were the police involved?
2007-12-31 14:53:14 · answer #7 · answered by BILL B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
first you were too damn close dont you know your highway code and the 2 second rule ,however the third and fourth car were just as guilty so the fourth car will take most of the blame ,but you were all too close to each other read up on your braking distances and for gods sake stop tailgatting , remember it could be someones life next time
2007-12-31 08:53:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its always the car behind you
2007-12-31 08:49:51 · answer #9 · answered by mark g 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sounds like you're going to be responsible for a big attorney bill. Don't tailgate.
2007-12-31 08:40:33 · answer #10 · answered by thebax2006 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋