Crashes occur everyday in the Hoosier State. In fact, state police report there are more than 189,000 Indiana car accidents per year. And the Indianapolis auto accident lawyers at Stewart & Stewart Attorneys point out car accident data shows the causes of many accidents may surprise you.
Tailgating seems to be the number one cause for car accidents in Indiana today. Of the more than 189,000 Indiana crashes that were recorded annually, roughly 30,000 were the result of a motorist following another vehicle too closely.
An article from ABC 6 News examined just how common following too closely is on Indiana’s roadways. Tailgating remains a problem because it’s a difficult infraction to enforce. Numbers show that, despite tailgating being the leading cause of Indiana auto accidents, violations of tailgating laws make up less than one percent of tickets in 2013 and 2014.
These numbers have many drivers wondering what they can do to prevent tailgating. Our Indianapolis personal injury lawyers suggest:
- Allowing other vehicles space- Experts say there should be at least five car lengths between your vehicle and the vehicle you are following.
- Obey the speed limit- Going only as fast as you are legally allowed will give you the time you need to stop in the event of an emergency.
- Be in the right lane of traffic- Remember to keep right and allow faster traffic to pass in the left lane.