Why am I held responsible for an auto accident in Harford County, MD?

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It is beyond lousy to get into an accident, let alone to be held responsible for what happened.  In some cases, it is actually quite complicated to determine who caused an accident to happen.  If you are the unfortunate one who was labeled at fault for a collision, your insurance rates might skyrocket and you might even wind up having to pay for the injured party’s medical expenses. 

Why were you blamed for the collision?

When it’s not obvious who caused an accident to happen, insurance companies and police officers will examine the scene of the collision and take note of each person’s account of what happened.  They will also consult any witnesses on the scene and check for evidence of avoidance.  Lack of avoidance can have a major impact on who is found to be at fault.  If the at fault diagnosis is questionable to you in your particular situation, consult your insurance company and the police for specific reasons.

Most of the time, however, it’s easy to determine who is at fault in an accident.  Here are five examples of simple at-fault situations:

  • Changing lanes accident.  When you switch to a different lane and hit someone else, it’s pretty clear that you’re at fault.  This happens frequently when people are in a hurry and neglect to check their blind spots thoroughly.  When people are also newer at driving, this is an easy mistake for them to make.

  • Hitting a parked car.  Parking lots are hazard all over Harford County, so it’s common for accidents to happen there.  If you hit a parked car, chances are that you just weren’t looking in the right place as you were driving or backing up. 

    parking lot damage2

  • Backing into someone.  Speaking of backing up, when you back up into someone, it’s unfortunately easy to lay the blame at your feet.  This is another accident that is typically found in parking lots.

  • Rear-end collision.  This one is extremely common, but often avoidable.  If you’re not maintaining at least one full car length in front of you for every ten miles per hour you’re driving, you will easily be found at fault in an accident—even if the person in front of you has slammed on their brakes unexpectedly.

  • Single vehicle collision.  This type of accident happens most often when there’s a lot of precipitation, such as snow or rain.  It can also happen as the result of a blown tire or other car problems.

    winter driving

If you’ve been in an accident and need your car repaired, Bel Air Autobody can take added stress off your shoulders.  Our technicians are trained and certified to provide you with a repair you can trust.  We offer a lifetime warranty on all work we do and our sister company, Ward Automotive, is right here to take care of any routine maintenance you might ever need.  We are a one-stop shop for all the residents of Harford County, including our neighbors in Aberdeen, Edgewood, Jarrettsville, Pleasant Hills, Bel Air, Fallston, Joppatowne, Pylesville, Burns Corner, Havre de Grace, Perryman, Riverside, Darlington, and Hickory Hills. 

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