Car accidents that happen on Minnesota roads can be devastating regardless of circumstance. However, understanding the various types of crashes may enable you to take proactive steps to avoid or minimize their severity. Furthermore, understanding how car crashes occur may help you avoid liability if you are involved.
Crashes don’t always involve multiple cars
If you are driving too fast for road conditions, you could slide off of the road into a ditch or collide with a tree. The same might happen if you are impaired and collide with an object on a residential street or while backing out of a parking space. It is important to note that you aren’t necessarily at fault for wrecks involving just your vehicle. This may be true if your car accident was caused by a poorly maintained road or another person running across the road unexpectedly.
Rear crashes are among the most common
There are many reasons why a rear crash may happen such as another vehicle following too closely or failing to notice traffic ahead slowing down or stopping. Typically, the vehicle that causes the collision is liable for the wreck as that person has a duty of care to look out for other vehicles. Of course, this may not be true if the car that got hit backed into the other car or took other actions to violate that motorist’s duty of care.
If you are involved in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation for repairing damaged property or paying medical bills. You may also be entitled to money to pay for mental health counseling or other costs related to mental anguish in the aftermath of a wreck caused by another person.