If you hit a car from behind are legally at fault?

In most jurisdictions, if you hit a car from behind, you are presumed to be legally at fault, regardless of the circumstances.[1] This is because it is generally presumed that you were not maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you and failed to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.[2]

To rebut this presumption, you will need to provide evidence that the other driver caused or contributed to the collision, such as:

• The other driver suddenly stopped short.

• The other driver brake checked you (purposely applied its brakes to cause you to collide with it).[3]

• The other driver swerved into your lane.

• The other driver was driving without its tail lights illuminated

While there may be exceptions to this rule, it is often advisable to proceed cautiously when driving behind another vehicle to reduce the chances of causing an accident or getting into legal trouble.

Remember to maintain a safe following distance, pay attention to the road, and anticipate any sudden changes in traffic or the vehicles around you.