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Driving behaviors that may be considered negligent

On Behalf of | Oct 5, 2024 | Motor vehicle accidents |

Every day, there are thousands of car accidents in the U.S. The sad reality is that accidents do happen, and many of them are unavoidable. Nonetheless, a significant number of crashes could have been avoided and were the result of negligence.

All road users owe one another a legal duty of care. Negligence occurs when this duty is breached and a driver’s conduct falls below a reasonable standard. Outlined below are some driving behaviors that may be deemed negligent.

Tailgating

The recommended safe following distance for drivers is three seconds. The reason for this is to reduce the risk of rear-end crashes. When a driver does not observe this following distance, they are tailgating.

Tailgating can be purposeful or accidental. It is often a form of aggressive driving. In any case, it is a form of negligent driving that can result in accidents.

Speeding

There are speed restrictions in place for a reason, particularly around school zones. Not only can accidents be more easily prevented at lower speeds, but the injuries suffered in an accident at lower speeds are usually less serious.

When someone exceeds the speed limit, they may be negligent. This largely depends on the context of the situation. For instance, exceeding the speed limit by one or two miles per hour is most likely not negligence. However, exceeding the speed limit by 10 to 15 miles per hour may be deemed negligent.

If you were injured in a crash and feel like another driver’s negligence was the cause, then you may be entitled to compensation. A personal injury claim can help you hold the negligent driver to account.

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