How can people prove fault for serious car crashes?

On Behalf of | Oct 18, 2024 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

There are several important questions to answer as soon as possible after a motor vehicle collision, and one of them is which driver (if any) is at fault for the wreck in question. The driver who caused the crash typically has legal and financial responsibility for the aftermath of the collision.

Their insurance policy may help pay to repair the vehicle of the other driver and cover any injury-related expenses they incur. Unfortunately, people often don’t want to take responsibility for their bad behavior or mistakes. Even if they know that they are at fault, they may try to convince the police officer who responds to the scene otherwise.

How can someone who is not to blame for a car crash establish that another driver was at fault for the wreck if they try to deny responsibility?

By providing key details

Information about the crash can help a police officer reach the right conclusion when investigating and putting together a crash report. For example, if a police officer knows that one driver threw items away immediately after the crash, they may collect the rubbish from the bin they used to see if there is an empty container of alcohol or drug paraphernalia with the other driver’s fingerprints on it. Other times, accusations of using a mobile phone might prompt police officers to obtain records that could validate the claim that someone texted or otherwise used their phone immediately before a wreck occurred.

By documenting crash circumstances

Mobile phones are more than just a source of driving risk. They are a powerful tool in the aftermath of a collision. Drivers can use their phones to record videos and take photographs that can preserve information about the scene of the collision. Police officers or outside professionals can then use the details captured digitally to recreate the crash and establish who may have been at fault for the wreck.

By finding witnesses or video footage

There may have been other drivers or pedestrians nearby who saw the crash occur or witnessed inappropriate behavior by the other driver before the collision. There might also be traffic cameras, security cameras or dashboard cameras nearby that recorded footage While video footage is often a better source of evidence because it is objective, witness statements can also go a long way toward proving what happened during a crash.

Finding evidence can help motorists feelings hold other drivers accountable for causing car crashes, even if they try to lie about their conduct. Drivers who establish that another motorist was at fault may then be able to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit to recoup the losses generated by a crash accordingly.