Rear End Collisions

Rear-end collisions are the most common type of auto accident, accounting for 1.5 million reported accidents in the United States each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Many people think of rear-end crashes as “fender-benders” — minor accidents that only cause property damage. But even a rear-end crash that takes place at a very low speed can cause property damage and serious injuries, especially neck and spine injuries. For an unlucky few with bad circumstances or defective autos, being rear-ended can lead to death. And for a minority of drivers and passengers, a rear-end accident can be quite serious, causing 2,000 deaths (4.5 percent of all traffic deaths) and 950,000 injuries in the United States each year.

The most common type of injury from a rear-end accident is whiplash, a neck injury. Two studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed that about one-quarter of all rear-end accidents reported to insurers involved neck injuries. Another IIHS study showed that 85 percent of neck injuries seen by a doctor are caused by auto accidents. It’s easy to see why. When a vehicle is rear-ended, its occupants’ bodies are thrown forward by the force of the impact but quickly restrained by their seat belts, while the unrestrained head stays still, then snaps forward. This causes the neck to extend very quickly, and extend beyond its normal range of motion. In the short term, this violent overextension causes pain from muscle strain. For some victims, it can also cause long-term nerve damage, concussion, herniated spinal discs and other ailments that require long-term medical attention -- though they may not be apparent at first. This often takes place at low speeds, even when the vehicle’s bumper, which is designed to absorb impact, shows little or no damage.

A less common but far more serious result of a rear-end accident is seat back failure. That’s when the force of a rear-end crash breaks the latch holding up a front bucket seat, throwing the front-seat occupant backward. If another person is in the back seat, he or she could suffer serious injuries, including internal injuries, brain injuries and broken bones, from the impact of the seat back and the front-seat occupant’s head. Occupants of seats whose backs fail also risk serious injury, because without a seat back holding them upright, their seat belts become almost useless. They may be thrown around or out of the vehicle. Seat back failure has caused deaths and grave injuries at speeds of less than 20 miles per hour.

Another auto design defect that can make a rear-end accident fatal is a defectively designed or placed gas tank. Such tanks can leak when struck, allowing highly flammable gasoline to escape and drastically increasing the probability that the accident will start a fire. Within moments, the occupants of a vehicle with a leaky gas tank can be trapped in a raging fire, exposing them to death, severe burns, smoke inhalation and disfiguring scars. Vehicles made in the 1970s are the best-known examples of defective gas tank design. The Ford Pinto in particular became famous after the manufacturer recalled 1.5 million Pintos over gas tank defects. But even cars manufactured in the last ten years have been found with defects in the placement and insulation of their gas tanks. Several Ford and GM cars were suspected in the late 1990s and early 2000s to have gas tank defects. And the Ford Crown Victoria, the vehicle of choice for many American police departments, has been under fire for the past decade over the placement of its gas tank, which many believe has contributed to the fiery deaths of hundreds of law enforcement officers.

Other defects that exacerbate a rear-end accident include:

Despite the frequency of rear-end accidents, automakers have concentrated their safety efforts on the front and side of vehicles. Given that rear-end accidents are far less likely to be fatal, that’s a prudent move. However, this overlooking of rear-end safety features means that bumpers on some vehicles aren’t designed to absorb impacts. That means the majority of the force of a rear-end impact to one of these vehicles is transferred to the front -- and to the occupants. In a court of law, this oversight could be considered negligence, especially since manufacturers are well aware of the prevalence of rear-end accidents.

More serious rear-end crashes sometimes take place in a “chain reaction” crash, in which one person rear-ends another, who is then pushed into the rear of a third car, and so on. At high speeds, these types of crashes can be deadly; at low speeds, they can still cause major injuries and severely damage or ruin vehicles. But because the causes of a chain reaction crash can be complex and unclear, the responsibility for them is not always apportioned correctly by insurance companies. Some insurance companies may also deny claims for injuries in a slow-speed rear-end collision, citing minor or no damage on the outside of the car as proof that the injuries are exaggerated. In fact, because cars are designed to take an impact and the human body is not, this may not be the case. Victims in these situations may end up victimized a second time by insurance companies that hike their rates unfairly and illegally and refuse to pay out the coverage they’re entitled to.

Rear-end accidents may sound minor, but for an unlucky few, they’re major, life-changing events. If you or someone you care about has been injured or killed in a rear-end accident, an experienced rear-end collision attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve, including compensation for lost past and future wages, disability and emotional trauma. BISNAR | CHASE has recovered tens of millions of dollars for auto accident and personal injury clients since 1978. For a free, no-obligation consultation, call us as soon as possible at 1-800-561-4846 or click here to fill out our online case evaluation form.

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