Car accident attorneys know that the damage caused by brake-checking drivers is substantial. Brake-checking drivers slam on the brakes so the vehicle behind them is forced to slow down quickly. If another driver is brake checking you, the resulting accident might have left you injured or with vehicle damage. As a driver, you should know the dangers of brake checking so you can learn to drive more safely around drivers who do. Here are five types of devastating car accidents caused by brake checking. Ideally, you should know about these kinds of car accidents before returning to the road.
1. Rear-end accidents
A rear-end accident occurs when a driver crashes into the back of another driver. Rear-end accidents are the most common kind of accident to occur as a result of brake checking. During a crash, the head of the driver affected by brake checking may thrust forward in an abrupt motion. After all, forward momentum is suddenly stopped. Both drivers may also suffer head and chest injuries and therefore, require examination from medical personnel before continuing to drive.
2. Pedestrian accidents
Pedestrians walk along sidewalks, the sides of roads, across intersections, and even in front of their homes or yards. There were 6,205 pedestrians killed in 2019. When one driver is brake checking another, the driver behind may choose to swerve to the right or left. In doing so, they may strike another pedestrian and cause them serious physical harm. Many personal injury attorneys have helped pedestrians win cases against drivers. But drivers affected by brake checking could consult an attorney if they mistakenly struck a pedestrian as a result of being brake checked. It’s clear, that with brake checking, human life is at risk, and therefore, lawyers and their colleagues will often find time to get involved.
3. Interstate accidents
The traffic moves at high speeds along the interstate, with multiple lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. Brake checking is extremely dangerous on the interstate, as multi-car pileups, vehicle rollovers, and fatalities are possible due to the speeds. Most drivers know to never get into a fight with someone who is brake checking them on the highway. However, one offense is more than enough. A brake-checking driver can cause another driver to stop and get rear-ended by another. Traffic can quickly get out of control and injuries can result. Interstate accidents are one of the worst types of accidents associated with brake checking.
4. Head-on collisions
Head-on collisions occur when one driver crashes head-on into another driver, often at high speeds. The collision is extremely dangerous as both drivers are facing frontwards and are exposed completely to the brunt of the crash. Head-on collisions are possible when brake-checked drivers mistakenly swerve in the opposite lane to avoid a rear-end crash. In worst-case scenarios, brake-checked drivers can cross onto the median to collide head-on with another vehicle, a kind of crash that could result in significant injury. For this reason, drivers who are brake checked should take careful care to avoid swerving into the oncoming lane.
5. Intersection accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety released a report citing an 18.4% increase in car fatality deaths in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. Car accident fatalities are especially likely at intersections, where cars move in different directions, at different speeds, and often cross into the intersection at once. At any given moment, there might be several cars in an intersection, increasing the potential for an accident should one vehicle have to stop too quickly. Brake checking is extremely dangerous in intersections as brake-checked vehicles can get caught in red lights and get struck from any direction. Ideally, brake-checked drivers are smart enough to know not to engage a brake-checking driver before an intersection.
Car accidents from brake checking cause fender and windshield damage. They horrify the drivers as normal traffic patterns are interrupted and confused drivers become overwhelmed. Attorneys practicing in car accident law can help you if you’ve been targeted by someone engaged in brake checking. For now, as long as you know what accidents might take place, you can learn to react in the future. The kind of car accident you might experience influences how you respond to brake checking while out on the road.
