One key to avoiding collisions while driving is leaving yourself enough time to react to what happens in front of you. Roads can be busy places, and not everyone is as alert as they should be. Pedestrians can step out without looking, drivers can turn without checking their mirrors properly, and so on.
If you cannot slow down in time to avoid them, you could end up running into them. If that happens, there’s a good chance you will take some or all of the blame for the crash, because even if the other party should not have done what they did, their insurer may argue that you should have been able to brake in time regardless.
Vehicles take longer to stop than most people think
Stopping time depends on several things such as the speed you are traveling at, the weight of the vehicle and the condition of the brakes. The faster you are traveling, the heavier your vehicle and the worse condition your brakes are in, the longer it is going to take you.
It’s not just about the vehicle, though. One reason that many crashes occur is that the driver didn’t make the decision to stop soon enough because they were distracted and did not see what was happening in front of them till late.
Even an alert driver cannot begin to brake their vehicle instantaneously. It takes time for them to process the situation and decide to apply the brakes, and further time for their leg to swing into action and push down on the pedal.
Next time you are out driving, consider doing what you can to give yourself more time to brake. That might be slowing down, leaving a larger gap between vehicles or ensuring you stay focused. If every motorist took such steps, the roads would be much safer. Until that point, learning how to claim compensation is something you may need to do.