More Hard Braking Can Mean More Car Collisions

New Jersey drivers may have to deal with an aggressive driver every now and then, or perhaps they themselves become aggressive. Tailgating is just one form of aggressive driving, and it often leads to drivers having to brake hard to avoid a rear-end collision. In fact, hard braking is one of those sure signs that someone is being unsafe on the road. It’s no wonder that hard-braking events can be correlated with car collision rates.

In its 2019 America’s Best Drivers Report, Allstate ranked the 200 largest cities in the country based on their rate of hard-braking events and car collisions: that is, collisions that lead to a property damage claim. The auto insurer took its hard-braking data from drivers who participated in its Drivewise telematics program between January 2016 and December 2017. Collision data spanned the same period.

The least safe city turned out to be Baltimore, Maryland, with drivers getting in a collision every four years and braking hard more than 30 times for every 1,000 miles they travel. By contrast, the nationwide averages were 19 hard-braking events per 1,000 miles and a collision every 10.57 years. The correlation was not as clear with the safest city, Brownsville. Drivers in this Texas city experience a collision every 15 years, but Allstate had no hard-braking data available.

Those who were in an auto accident may have all their losses covered by their own insurance company. However, in some cases, they are allowed to file a third-party insurance claim, though this means proving the other side’s negligence. In this state, plaintiffs can be 50% or less at fault and still be eligible for compensation, but they may want a lawyer to help them file their claim and negotiate a settlement. Litigation may be considered as a last resort.