At Richard Schwartz and Associates of Jackson, Mississippi we advocate personal safety while driving. Car accidents can be prevented, and so can the serious injuries that come with them. One of the most common car accidents that happen is a rear end car wreck. This is caused when someone is following too closely behind another vehicle, and does not have time to react to a sudden action from that car in front of them.

So the question is, how does someone know if they’re following too closely? Most of the time, people do not even know that they’re following behind someone else too close. When you’re traveling at high speeds, especially, judging how far you are from the person in front of you is difficult. This is because most people judge speed by their surroundings. The faster the trees and road signs pass, the faster someone knows they’re going. However, this can conflict with trying to judge the distance and time you have between cars. This is how rear end car accidents occur.

To correct this problem, there is a very simple rule people can apply. The three second rule helps drivers give themselves enough space between other cars. In good road conditions, three seconds between vehicles is a safe distance. To measure how close you are to a person; pick an object ahead of the car in front of you. When they pass it, whether it is a road sign or tree, begin to count. If you reach three before you’ve passed the marker, you’re within a safe distance. If you pass before you count to three, you need to slow down and give yourself some driving distance.

In Mississippi, there are laws that prohibit driving too close to another vehicle. It has been labeled by many as tailgaiting, and you can be pulled over for it. Usually, this will result in a ticket and large fine, depending on the road you’re traveling. These laws are in place to prevent rear ending accidents which can cause serious injuries to the people involved.

The personal injury lawyers and staff at Richard Schwartz & Associates of Jackson, Mississippi understand the risks of following too closely. If you have been involved in an accident where you were rear ended, please consider consulting our personal injury firm. We might be able to help you today.