I-75 in Sarasota County was forced to briefly shut down on Monday, May 11 after a serious accident near mile marker 181, which is located between Sumter and Toledo Blade.
According to officers with the Florida Highway Patrol, one vehicle rear-ended another, and the collision sent both cars skidding into the treeline just off the road. One of the vehicles rolled over on its side.
Responders had to call in a flight for life helicopter to transport one of the two drivers to the hospital. The driver who caused the collision received a citation for careless driving. After the helicopter left and the road was cleaned up, the roadway was able to be reopened.
Rear-end collisions almost always the rear driver’s fault
In the vast majority of circumstances, a rear-end collision will be deemed the fault of the driver who runs into the back of the other vehicle. This is because it is the responsibility of all drivers to notice when a vehicle in front of them is either parked or slowing down, and to make the appropriate adjustments to brake, slow down or otherwise avoid that vehicle. This is also why it is important for drivers to avoid tailgating.
There are some circumstances, however, in which the driver that was struck can bear at least some negligence. If the vehicle’s taillights are out, for example, it becomes more difficult for other drivers to see that they are slowing down, which can make a collision more likely. Or, if a driver is having mechanical problems but fails to take the necessary steps to get the vehicle off the road, that driver could potentially share in liability for a resulting rear-end collision.
For more information about the steps you can take if you have been injured in a rear-end collision caused by a negligent driver, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL accident lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.