Accordion Effect Car Accidents: Liability and Fault in Multi-Vehicle Crashes

A multi-car accident is any driver’s worst nightmare, especially if it’s a chain reaction crash and you are one of the vehicles in the middle of the chain. All it takes is one distracted driver to set off one of these crashes, causing them to rear-end a vehicle who then rear-ends a vehicle and so forth down the line of vehicles. Dealing with physical and emotional injuries following one of these “accordion effect” accidents can be stressful enough, but are you also legally responsible for injuries to occupants of the vehicle in front of you? After all, you did rear-end their vehicle. On the latest episode of Lawyer Podcast, attorney Paul Reed explains why you are likely not liable for damages or injuries if you are in the middle of an accordion accident.

What Is the “Accordion Effect?”

If you live or work in the Tampa Bay area, you are all too familiar with congestion on the roadways. In fact, bumper-to-bumper traffic is likely a daily occurrence for you. When traffic is heavy, it increases the likelihood of multi-vehicle collisions and secondary crashes. Accordion effect, or chain reaction, accidents are particularly common during times when the roadways are congested. The “accordion effect” occurs when a vehicle (#1) rear-ends another vehicle (#2) who then rear-ends another vehicle (#3) who then rear-ends another vehicle (#4), causing a crash site that resembles an accordion.  In city traffic, accordion effect collisions frequently occur at stop lights when a distracted driver causes the initial impact, starting a chain reaction that may involve several vehicles.

Who Is at Fault in an Accordion Effect Accident?

In an accordion crash, there are often three or more separate rear-end collisions that occur one right after the other. Most people are aware that the general rule governing rear-end accidents places the legal blame for an accident on the driver who rear-ended another vehicle. In the case of an accordion effect accident, however, that general rule does not apply. In the scenario above, vehicle #1 would likely be liable for injuries to all involved parties.

Liability in a car accident is based on negligence. Failing to stop in time to avoid rear-ending another vehicle is typically the result of negligence, often caused by driving distracted, drowsy, or under the influence. While vehicles # 2 and #3 did technically “rear-end” another vehicle, they were pushed into the vehicle in front of them. In other words, the rear-end collision was not the result of negligence on the part of drivers #2 and #3. Instead, those rear-end collisions can also be attributed to the negligence of driver #1.

Multiple potential defendants and a complicated accident scene can make accordion effect collisions difficult to litigate. Unlike a simple two-party collision, these crashes often require an accident reconstructionist to determine exactly what happened in order to attribute fault to the correct party or parties. Working with an experienced car accident attorney is particularly important if you were injured in an accordion effect accident.

If you have questions or concerns about who is liable for injuries suffered in an accordion effect collision, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Reed & Reed.