When a driver rear-ends another vehicle, those both in the rear vehicle and in the front vehicle could be hurt as a result. In most cases, rear-end crashes involve one car, truck, or bus hitting another car, truck, or bus. In Lancaster County, however, there is another kind of vehicle on the road: the horse and buggy. Horses and buggies are used by the large Amish population in the area, making them a common sight on public roadways. Drivers need to be aware of the potential to run into a horse and buggy and make sure they follow best practices for safety when encountering this vehicle on the road.
Just recently, a driver may have failed to exercise reasonable caution when he came upon a horse and buggy. WGAL reports the car rear-ended the buggy on the 200 block of Paradise Lane. No one who was in the car got hurt, but three of the people who were on the horse and buggy had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
Risks of Injuries in Rear-End Accidents
Rear-end accidents involving horses and buggies aren’t particularly common, but rear-end collisions of all types can happen any time. Rear-end accidents are one of the most prevalent types of car crashes on the road and these accidents can cause serious harm.
For example, whiplash is one common injury which can happen after a vehicle is rear-ended. Whiplash manifests as pain and mobility limitations affecting the neck, head, and shoulders. While whiplash usually heals after several weeks or months following an accident, there have been times when patients develop chronic whiplash. This can affect an ongoing ability to work and can leave a person in significant discomfort.
Other common injuries which happen in rear-end accidents include broken bones, head injuries, and spinal cord damage. It is possible for a slow-speed rear-end accident to cause significant harm to victims in both the front car and the rear car. If the victims are in a buggy, the risk of injury could be even worse because buggies don’t have the same advanced safety features as modern motor vehicles.
Victims who get hurt in rear-end accidents need to determine whether they have opted into or out of Pennsylvania’s no-fault car insurance system. Victims also need to understand their rights for getting fully compensated for injuries.
A victim could pursue a civil case for compensation under certain circumstances, including when it is clear the negligence of the other driver was the cause of a crash. When a driver fails to leave a sufficiently safe following distance between his or her car and the front car, the driver can be presumed negligent. This means a rear driver in a rear-end crash is usually going to be considered at fault for the accident unless and until proven otherwise.
The rear-driver who hit the front vehicle could be required to have his or her insurance pay medical bills and other damages for serious injuries for motorists, including those who were in a horse and buggy at the time of the incident.
