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Did the driver who hit you ignore the three-second rule?

On Behalf of | Oct 13, 2017 | blog

As a responsible driver, you may be aware of the “three-second rule” and how it corresponds to tailgating, but evidently the driver who rear-ended you was not.

Georgia is one of a handful of states that have poor records in terms of tailgating, which means that many drivers are unaware of the three-second rule—or simply choose to ignore it.

Judging your following distance

How close is too close? When you are following another vehicle, choose a fixed object on the road ahead, such as a sign, a building or a tree. When the car directly in front of you passes that object, slowly count to three. If you arrive at the object before you finish counting, you are following the vehicle ahead too closely.

Compensating for bad weather

The police report says that when the car struck you from behind, traffic was heavy and it was raining. When conditions are less than ideal, or when you are driving after dark, you should double the three-second rule. Obviously, the motorist who rear-ended you was driving too aggressively in a rainstorm. Because he did not follow a six-second rule to adjust for bad weather, his car smashed into yours when traffic slowed unexpectedly.

Seeing a pattern develop

Age plays a part in tailgating. As we age, our driving behavior becomes less aggressive, and this means that middle-aged and older drivers are less guilty of tailgating than their younger counterparts. Older drivers are more cautious and will often try to avoid potential problems on the road. However, a tailgating incident may occur because the victim is hemmed in by traffic and cannot get out of the way.

Finding fault

Although most of the drivers who collide with the vehicles in front of them are found to be at fault, insurance companies can be obstinate when it comes to fair and just compensation for injuries suffered; they may try to find some way to lay blame on the victims. Fortunately, you can rely on the help of an experienced advocate who will deal effectively with the insurance company by holding the other driver responsible and making him wish he had not ignored a simple rule that helps to keep motorists from tailgating.

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