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by T-hawk 1924 days ago
That last point isn't a "you could argue" or "most cases", it's literally the law. Rear-ending is always the rear car's fault and it's always their responsibility to leave enough space and time to react and stop safely.

If the lead car braked when there was no reason or danger, that driver might also be cited for recklessness or some such, but a rear-end collision is always an error by the rear driver.
2 comments
throwaway0a5e 1924 days ago
> it's literally the law. Rear-ending is always the rear car's fault a

Rear ending being the rear car's fault is a norm of the insurance industry that is used to settle disputes in the absence of other information. Furthermore, in the overwhelming majority of jurisdictions the government specifically does not establish "fault" for routine vehicle accidents (the government generally only decides matters of fault inside a court room) and the paperwork that comes with a police report of an accident usually says something along the lines of "we don't establish fault, just record the facts" prominently on it.

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_nalply 1924 days ago
As everybody knows who have looked at traffic accidents on Youtube this has been misused in Russia. You want a new car for free? Stop then reverse into the car behind you. And that's why dash cams became ubiquitous in Russia and other countries.
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pas 1924 days ago
No, it's more complicated than that. If someone cuts in front of you and you end up rear-ending them, it's not your fault. See all the fucking break-check idiots. (And the videos when someone does it to a car, which then turns out to be a cop.)

That said, yes, in theory you have to be alert, as the car in front of you can at any moment do something unexpected. (Eg. the driver falls asleep and crashes into the barrier.)

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enko123 1924 days ago
There's also an insurance scam where the driver slams on the brakes for no reason on the highway hoping you rear-end them literally was 50mph to 0. I barely dodged that one, since I allow 3-lanes of stopping distance, but I still needed to swerve toward the median, and the guy behind me hit me, and behind him hit him and behind him hit him.
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