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Rear-End Collisions: Stop-and-Go Traffic Risks
Rear-End Collisions: Most Common in Stop-and-Go Traffic
Rear-end collisions are the most frequently reported crash type on San Antonio roads, and they are also among the most mishandled by insurance companies. The assumption that the rear driver is always at fault is not always accurate, and the injuries from even low-speed rear-end impacts can be far more serious than they appear in the days immediately after the crash.
Video Transcript
I’m Jamie Shaw with Carabin Shaw in San Antonio. How long do you actually have to file a car accident claim in Texas? Generally two years from the date of the crash. Miss that deadline and the court can throw your case out, no matter how strong it is. People think two years is plenty, so they wait. But evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and the insurance company uses that delay against you. And watch out — claims against a government vehicle can have deadlines as short as six months. Don’t guess. If you’ve been hurt in a San Antonio crash, call Carabin Shaw. Free consultation and you pay nothing unless we win. 210-222-2288.
Why Rear-End Crashes Dominate San Antonio’s Crash Statistics
San Antonio’s traffic volume has grown significantly over the past decade. The Texas Department of Transportation’s most recent data shows Bexar County among the highest-volume counties in the state for total crash reports. The San Antonio car accident attorneys at Carabin Shaw handle rear-end collision cases that range from low-speed parking lot impacts to high-speed highway chain reactions, and the legal issues in each type are different. Stop-and-go traffic on Loop 410, I-35, and US-281 during peak commute hours creates the conditions where rear-end crashes are most likely to occur.
The Following Distance Problem
Texas Transportation Code Section 545.062 requires drivers to maintain a safe following distance. What constitutes a safe distance depends on speed, road conditions, and vehicle type. Commercial vehicles require significantly longer stopping distances than passenger cars. When a driver fails to account for those variables and rear-ends a stopped or slowing vehicle, that failure is negligence.
Injuries That Appear Minor and Are Not
Whiplash — the rapid back-and-forth motion of the neck during a rear-end impact — is the most common injury in these crashes. The symptoms often do not appear until 24 to 72 hours after the crash. By that time, some victims have already declined medical treatment at the scene or told the responding officer they were not injured. Insurance companies use those statements to argue that the injuries were not caused by the crash. The NHTSA’s rear-end crash data shows that soft tissue injuries from rear-end impacts are frequently more severe than initial assessments suggest.
Traumatic Brain Injuries in Low-Speed Crashes
A traumatic brain injury can result from a rear-end crash at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour. Concussion symptoms — headaches, cognitive fog, sensitivity to light, sleep disruption — may not be attributed to the crash by the victim or their initial treating physician. A complete neurological evaluation after any rear-end crash that involved a head impact or significant jolt is essential to identifying and documenting these injuries.
When the Rear Driver Is Not Solely at Fault
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule. If the lead driver contributed to the crash — by brake-checking, cutting off the rear driver, or having non-functioning brake lights — their percentage of fault reduces the damages they can recover. Establishing the lead driver’s contribution requires the responding officer’s report, witness statements, and in some cases, dashcam footage or traffic camera recordings. These cases are more complex than a straightforward rear-end claim, but they are not uncommon.
Multi-Vehicle Rear-End Chains
When a rear-end impact pushes the struck vehicle into the vehicle ahead of it, creating a chain reaction, the liability analysis becomes more complex. Each driver’s contribution to the chain must be assessed. The driver who initiated the chain — the one who failed to stop in time — typically bears the greatest liability, but intermediate drivers who were also following too closely may share fault.
What to Do After a Rear-End Crash in San Antonio
Even if the crash appears minor, a police report should be filed. The responding officer’s documentation of vehicle damage, driver statements, and road conditions creates a contemporaneous record that is difficult to dispute later. Photographs of all vehicle damage — including the undercarriage and frame if visible — should be taken before any vehicle is moved or repaired. Medical evaluation should occur within 24 hours, even if symptoms are not yet present, to establish a baseline and catch delayed-onset injuries early.
According to TxDOT crash records, rear-end collisions account for a significant portion of all injury crashes in Bexar County each year. Carabin Shaw has handled these cases across San Antonio for over three decades. The firm takes cases on a contingency basis — no fee unless the case is won. Call (800) 862-1260 to speak with an attorney.