Crashes can happen for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common is when a driver follows too closely to another and can’t stop in time when the vehicle in front of them slows or maneuvers. Take, for example, this case out of North Carolina.
A Rowan County Detention Center officer was heading home from work when he decided to pull his vehicle over to the side of the road on Interstate 85. At around 7:30 a.m., a pickup truck struck the officer’s vehicle from behind as he attempted to leave the roadway.
The officer’s injuries were reportedly severe, but there are no reports about the manner in which he was hurt. It’s not clear why he was pulling over or what caused the collision. However, the officer is in intensive care at a local hospital.
Don’t follow too closely on the road
It can be easy to forget to leave enough space between your own vehicle and another, especially on highways or in busy morning traffic. However, tailgating is not legal and puts both you and other drivers at risk of getting into a crash.
A good rule of thumb is to leave around one vehicle length between you and the vehicle in front of you for every 10 mph of speed. So, if you’re traveling at 30 mph, leave three vehicle’s lengths between you. This gives you enough time to see the other driver’s actions and to respond.
If you’re hurt because someone was tailgating and rear-ended your vehicle, remember that they may be held civilly liable for failing to keep a safe distance.
