When driving, you’ll always have concerns about what the person behind you is doing. You hope they’re paying attention to the road and watching you closely, but you never know for sure if this is the case.
If the person immediately behinds you stops paying attention, it increases the risk of a rear-end collision. Here are some of the steps you can take to protect against this:
- Gradually slow down: When possible, bring your vehicle to a gradual stop, as opposed to slamming on your brakes. It’s not always something you can do, but watching the road ahead and planning in advance will help.
- Make sure your brake lights work: Without these, the person behind you may have no warning that you’re slowing down. The only thing they can go by is the visual speed of your vehicle, and that’s not always easy to calculate.
- Turn your lights on at night: If you neglect to do this, you’re making it difficult for everyone, not just those behind you, to see your vehicle. This goes hand in hand with double checking your brake lights for proper operation.
Even if you follow these tips, you could be the victim of a rear-end accident. And when that happens, you’re at risk of suffering a variety of injuries, ranging from whiplash to broken bones to a concussion.
If you’re struck from behind, stay where you are if you’re injured and/or your vehicle is disabled. Also, don’t step outside your vehicle until help arrives, as doing so could result in another accident.
After receiving medical treatment, file an insurance claim and take the steps necessary to obtain all the compensation you deserve.