The Basics of Responsibility in Car Crashes

Automobile accidents are an unfortunate reality of driving and, when they do happen, the question of who is to blame and what could have been done to prevent the incident. The question of fault is a whole aspect in and of itself, but responsibility also plays a major role in car crashes. By understanding the responsibilities of drivers, in both legal and practical terms, car accidents can be both prevented and managed when they do occur.

The most prevalent reason that car accidents happen, and is indeed true for almost all automobile accidents, is negligence. This means that one or more drivers was careless at the wheel and thus lead to an accident. Negligence comes in many forms including, but not limited to, a failure to follow safety procedures, obey the rules of the road, or driving while distracted or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Therefore, the most important responsibility of a driver is to be as aware and as a, for lack of a better term, good driver as possible. Simple adherence to driving rules will avoid many accidents.

If you are involved in an accident, it is important to be aware of the responsibilities you may have then. Firstly, reporting the accident is normally one of the first steps, especially if the accident was not your fault. Having an incident report from the police can greatly help you win a personal injury claim later on. Reporting and working with your auto insurance company is important as well, since they are an asset for claiming compensation, primarily due to Florida being a no fault state.

Although not a responsibility, you do have the right to work with an attorney during any car accident or personal injury claim. In fact, doing so is recommended to help you work through the process and help you understand what you need to do and what you can receive. To learn about how we at the Franco Law Firm can assist in your auto accident case, please call us at (813) 872-0929.