Car Accidents Caused By Brake Checking In Texas
Brake checking is a dangerous driving practice that often results in a crash. If you’ve been involved in a Texas brake-checking accident, it can be hard to recover compensation, even if another driver caused the crash by brake-checking you.
Understanding what brake checking is and what to do after a brake-checking accident in Texas helps you increase your chance of recovering injury compensation and holding the other driver responsible for their actions.
What Is A Texas Brake-Checking Accident?
Brake checking is the practice of intentionally slamming on the brakes to alarm the driver behind you. A brake-checking accident is a car crash that occurs because the driver in front is brake-checking the vehicle to the rear.
Brake checking is typically intentional. Angry drivers often do it out of road rage. Whatever the reason for brake checking, it commonly leads to accidents in Texas.
Why Do Some Texas Drivers Brake Check Other Cars?
A frustrated driver could take out their anger by brake-checking the car behind them. They might intentionally maneuver their car into position to perform a calculated brake check. A driver might also rely on brake checking in an attempt to tell the driver behind them to slow down and give their car more space.
In addition to road rage or an attempt at communication, teenagers sometimes brake check for simple entertainment purposes. They see it as a funny prank to play on other drivers.
Is Brake Checking Illegal In Texas?
Brake checking is illegal in Texas. However, you won’t find brake checking specifically mentioned in any Texas driving law. Instead, it is one of the many dangerous driving practices that fall under the umbrella term of reckless driving.
Texas law defines reckless driving as displaying “willful or wanton disregard for the safety” of other people or property. It is a misdemeanor in Texas. If a Texas driver is caught and convicted of reckless driving due to brake-checking, they can face up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $200.
Types Of Texas Brake-Checking Accidents
Rear-end accidents are the most common type of crash caused by brake checking. When the driver ahead suddenly slams on the brakes with no warning, the following car is most likely to drive directly into the rear of the car ahead.
However, other car crashes can also come from a brake-checking accident. The following driver might suddenly react by swerving to the side into oncoming traffic in the next lane. And if the driver turns sharply enough at a high speed, there’s even a risk of a rollover accident.
Because brake-checking accidents involve slamming on the brakes at a time when braking is unnecessary, most vehicles in the lane behind the braking driver aren’t expecting to stop suddenly. As a result, brake-checking accidents can also increase the risk of a multi-car accident.
Common Injuries In Texas Brake-Checking Accidents
Brake-checking accident injuries typically depend on how many vehicles are involved and how the cars collide. Since a brake-checking crash brings the highest risk of a rear-end accident, some of the most common brake-checking injuries are whiplash and spinal injuries.
However, there’s no limit to how drivers and passengers can be injured in a car crash. When vehicles are traveling at high speeds, there’s an increased risk of a brake-checking accident, leading to car accident injuries such as:
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Organ damage
- Broken bones
- Cuts and bruises
Whenever someone is injured in a Texas brake-checking accident, they’ll likely incur medical bills. They might also suffer further financial losses because they need to take time off work to recover. Recovering compensation after a Texas brake-checking accident is possible, but it begins by proving that the brake-checking driver caused the crash.
Proving Liability After A Brake-Checking Accident In Texas
Texas is an at-fault state when it comes to car accident compensation. This means that the driver who caused the crash is responsible for paying for the other people’s injuries. That compensation comes from the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to recover Texas car accident compensation. In a brake-checking accident, the at-fault driver creates a situation wherein the other driver makes the initial impact. This is a problem because, in most cases, the driver whose car hit the other vehicle is deemed to be at fault for the crash.
For that reason, successfully proving liability in a Texas brake-checking accident means building a case to show how the other party was engaging in reckless driving.
Getting Legal Help With A Texas Brake-Checking Accident Claim
After any Texas car accident, working with an experienced car accident attorney can increase the amount of compensation you recover. After a brake-checking accident, it’s especially important to have a skilled car accident lawyer on your case.
A Texas car accident lawyer will listen to your side of the story and then set out to prove that the other driver caused the crash. While working to achieve this goal, a lawyer might:
- Request access to traffic camera footage
- Check whether local home or business security cameras recorded the crash
- Speak with other drivers who witnessed the accident
- Hire an accident reconstruction specialist
Proving fault in a Texas brake-checking accident isn’t impossible. However, your chance of achieving this outcome without an experienced lawyer on your side is often slim. If you hope to recover the injury compensation you need, your first step after a Texas brake-checking accident should be to ask a Texas car accident lawyer about your options.
Protect Your Finances After A Texas Brake-Checking Accident
Texas personal injury laws are in place to protect drivers who are injured by another’s reckless actions. They can help you recover medical bills, lost wages, and other costs associated with a Texas brake-checking accident. The best way to protect your finances after you’re brake checked in Texas is to consult a lawyer for legal guidance on how to move forward.
Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers in Bedford for Help Today
For more information, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation today. We have convenient locations in Fort Worth and Bedford, Texas.
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth
209 N Hampton St,
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 510-9400
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers – Bedford
2317 Plaza Pkwy #100,
Bedford, TX 76021
(817) 503-9200
