A rear-ending between two large vehicles closed down traffic on Interstate 80 in the Midwest on Monday afternoon, March 10. Traffic was already slowing due to early season construction work, patching roads damaged by the frequent freezes and thaws throughout the winter. However, one driver in a tractor-trailer did not slow down enough and rear-ended an RV trailer that was attached to a pickup truck. This caused several more collisions, in the end doing damage to another pickup truck, four other tractor-trailers, and a minivan. While the accident resulted in no serious injuries, it did cause a lot of total damage and also closed down the interstate for a time.

A rear-ending is generally considered to be a fairly simple type of accident, but the truth is that it can still be very serious. On highways, a rear-end wreck often turns into a chain of collisions, as cars going at higher speeds may have trouble stopping in time. Also, as in the case above, if both of the vehicles involved are large, even one incident can cause a lot of damage and block the road. They may cause fewer physical injuries than other types of collisions, but “fender benders” can still have significant consequences.

When you get in a rear end car wreck, who is held responsible may differ depending on your location. Some states always consider the driver who rear-ended the other vehicle to be responsible. The idea is that even if the car in front stops suddenly, the driver behind should be leaving enough space between vehicles to stop as well before a collision occurs. A law firm that has dealt with accidents in your area, such as Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, can help you find out more about who is at fault in your accident.