Recently, I was involved in a three car pile-up. How will the police decide who is at fault?

The police use a variety of methods when attempting to determine causes and liability in multiple vehicle accidents. It is, however, important to note that the police will not determine fault in the sense of who is responsible for paying for the accident – that is determined by the insurance company.  Instead, police will determine whose actions were in violation of the traffic code, and what actions may have led to the accident occurring that are actionable via a citation or traffic offense.

• One way that police determine whose actions were in violation of the traffic code is by taking measurements of skid marks from tires.  Excessive speed will cause a vehicle to skid as the driver attempts to slow down rapidly, and by measuring these marks, police can determine who was speeding, or not paying attention. 
• In addition, in looking at damage to the vehicles, the police will likely determine which vehicles were directly involved, and which were victims of circumstance, such as the middle car that is pushed forward when rear ended, and which hits the car in front of it.  The driver of the middle car had very little to do with the accident.

If you are involved in a three car accident, you should speak to a lawyer as soon as possible. Your attorney can help you to determine your legal rights regarding the accident and can assist you in understanding what compensation you may be entitled to.