Rate Of Rear-End Accidents Rise

A car insurance firm has stated that more than 400,000 a car accidents take place on UK roads. This record level of road collisions, can lead to a high level of accident claims being made.

The car insurer, Admiral has calculated there are over 420,000 rear end bumps involving motor vehicles, in the UK each year, and they account for one in four of all road accidents.

Rise and fall of accident rates

While the percentage of UK motorists having road accidents has been falling steadily for several years, the number of accidents where one motorist hits another in the rear has not followed this trend, suggesting many motorists are not paying enough attention to the road ahead.

Admiral estimates that rear end accidents cost the insurance industry over £500 million a year. This is not only for car repairs or total loss cars but also for personal injury claims. Around one in ten rear-end accidents cause whiplash for the occupants of the car. While whiplash alone costs insurers £1.9billion a year and accounts for 75 per cent of all bodily injury claims.

Sue Longthorn, the managing director of Admiral, said: "Rear end bangs and shunts are all too common on our roads; I think this is indicative of how many of us drive. On main roads, many drivers don't leave enough space between themselves and the car in front so if that car brakes they hit them in the rear. The stopping distance at 40 mph is 36 metres, the equivalent of nine car lengths.

"In built-up areas, where traffic is so slow moving, people tend to get frustrated and drive a little too aggressively. When they do this there is more of a chance they will bump the car in front."

Staged accidents rising

Sue Longthorn also added: "There is another worrying statistic that could explain the rise in rear end accidents. The number of staged accidents is rising and rear end accidents are the easiest to stage. Fraudsters will pull off in traffic or at a junction and then break suddenly. This will cause the car behind them to hit their rear.

"They will then make a claim for not only car damage but more importantly whiplash. All insurers have reported an increase in this type of fraudulent claim. And while they are vigilant to the signs, fake accidents can be very difficult to prove."

Sue Longthorn concluded by saying: "Insurance fraud costs our industry £3 billion a year. Unfortunately this cost has to be met in increased premiums, so it is definitely not a victimless crime. It works out at an additional £40 on everyone's premium. We'd ask everyone to be vigilant on the roads and just don't drive too close to the car in front."

Whiplash injuries, involve strain on the soft tissues in the neck, they can become stretched or strained in an accident. Damage to the nerves can occur and this is known as soft tissue damage is known as a whiplash injury, or "cervical sprain" or "hyperextension injury".

If you have been involved in an accident on the road, find out if you can receive compensation by speaking to one of our injury lawyers.