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Rear
End Collision Cases
The rear impact collision is the most common type of automobile
collision with “approximately 2.5 million rear impact
collisions occurring each year.” There are “six
deaths per one million registered cars.” Most of these
accidents occur as a result of inattentiveness on the part
of the rear-ending driver.
One can expect these types of collisions to rise with increased
use of cell phones, and other driver distraction features
being added to automobiles.
In these situations, the bumper system of the front of one
vehicle makes contact with the bumper system of the back of
another. The rear bumper system is an important safety feature,
when designed properly. Arguably, over the last two decades
car companies have developed and installed increasingly less
reliable rear bumpers.
A quality rear bumper system should be designed to compress
upon impact and absorb the force of a low impact collision.
A lower quality bumper system is less absorbent and allows
the brunt of the impact forces to be transferred to the occupants
of the car. Did you know that car manufacturers are only required
to design rear bumpers to handle a five-mile per hour rear
collision? We all know that a significant number of rear impact
collisions occur at much greater speeds. Unfortunately, many
of today's bumpers are designed more to protect the car rather
than the occupants.
If you are a victim of a rear-end collision and make a claim
for personal injuries with the insurance company for the other
driver, beware! Many insurance companies will argue and try
and convince you that because the vehicles sustained little
or no visible damage, then the vehicle's occupants could not
have been injured. This is not necessarily true. While cars
are designed to handle the low speed impact forces, the human
body is not.
Insurance adjusters are very astute at reducing the insurance
company’s exposure. Serious injuries can result from
what may appear to be a minor impact. Rear-end collisions
may not be so clear cut and legal representation may be needed
to ensure you are treated fairly during the settlement process. |
