Most car crashes involve two vehicles. They often feature circumstances that make it readily apparent that one driver or the other was clearly to blame for the wreck. Drivers often make major mistakes in traffic, such as running red lights, that result in preventable collisions.
Motorists who can show that the other driver was at fault for a crash can then pursue an insurance claim against that driver. They may also be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against them if they don’t have insurance coverage or if their insurance policy only provides minimal coverage.
When a collision involves more than two vehicles, the situation can become significantly more complicated. How can people determine who was at fault for a collision involving multiple vehicles?
Drivers may share faults for the wreck
Often, multi-vehicle collisions begin with the poor choices of one or two people. One driver cuts another motorist off or tries to merge across multiple lanes of traffic, only to cause a crash. Particularly during times of inclement weather, such choices could result in multiple vehicles colliding with one another.
A crash can set off a chain reaction that can end up involving multiple other vehicles. The driver who caused the initial incident is at fault for the crash involving their vehicle. However, as the collision expands to involve more vehicles, that party’s fault may diminish.
The other drivers who end up involved in the crash may also have a degree of fault for the wreck. In theory, drivers approaching the crash should be able to slow down and stop without ending up involved themselves. If they fail to maintain an appropriate following distance and safe speeds given road conditions, then they could end up contributing to the collision by striking another vehicle.
People involved in multi-car crashes often need to secure documentation and review police reports carefully to determine what insurance they can use and who may be liable if they need to take legal action. They may face a scenario where multiple people share fault for the wreck.
Reviewing the circumstances of a multi-vehicle collision with a skilled legal team can help people hold others accountable for unsafe behavior on the road. Those involved in multi-vehicle crashes may have a degree of fault themselves but may also be able to hold others accountable for striking their vehicle after an initial collision occurred.