A blue minivan was approaching the end of an entrance ramp to a freeway. A red pickup truck was coming down the ramp right behind him.
A brown van was approaching in the right lane of the freeway.
Case 4. Problem, part II
Just as the blue minivan was about to merge with freeway traffic, the driver noticed that the brown van was too close,
so he stopped to let it pass.
Case 4. Problem, part III
The driver of the red pickup truck thought that blue minivan was going to enter the freeway without stopping. He turned his head to check traffic on the freeway.
When he looked forward again and saw the blue minivan had stopped,
he slammed on his brakes but couldn't stop in time, so he rear-ended the blue minivan.
The driver of the blue minivan received a whiplash injury to his neck.
Who was at fault in this collision?
The driver of blue minivan
The driver of red pickup truck The driver of brown van
Case 4. Explanation
Answer: The driver of the red pickup truck
And here's why:
The law requires that you watch out for the car in front of you no matter what the circumstances. But how do you watch cars in front of you and behind you at the same time?
The best thing is not to try. At an intersection, simply stop and wait for the car ahead to pull away completely. Then you will only have to worry about cars behind you.
On a freeway entrance ramp, of course, you should keep moving. Use the outside rearview mirror to help you check traffic on the freeway.
This lets you shift your attention back and forth between traffic behind and traffic ahead.
Be sure, however, to turn your head and check over your left shoulder before you actually pull out onto the freeway.
The driver of blue minivan was partly at fault for the accident.
He should have used the entrance ramp and/or the acceleration lane to adjust his speed
so that he could merge onto the freeway just ahead of the brown van, or just behind it.
By coming to a stop, he exposed himself to the danger of being hit from behind.
Stopping at the end of the ramp also would have forced him to pull onto the freeway at a very slow speed.
He could have found another car bearing down on him before he could build up speed.
Case 4. Explanation, part II
The driver of the brown van also helped cause the accident by staying in the right lane.
If he had moved to the left lane, the blue minivan would never have had to stop.
He could also have slowed down for it. Because the left lane was clear, a lane change would have been better.
Drivers on an entrance ramp can see you changing lanes more easily than they can see you slow down.
A lane change also allows more than one car to enter.
The driver of brown van also helped cause the accident by staying in the right lane. If he had moved to the left lane, the blue minivan would never have had to stop. He could also have slowed down for this blue minivan. Because the left lane was clear, a lane change would have been better. Remember, drivers on an entrance ramp can see you changing lanes more easily than they can see you slow down.
Rule Number 1: When you are moving in traffic, never take your eyes off the road ahead for more than an instant. When you are entering a freeway, use the outside mirror to watch traffic on the main roadway.
Rule Number2: When entering a freeway, use the entrance ramp and/or acceleration lane to build up to the speed of traffic on the roadway. Do not come to a stop at the end of the entrance ramp.
Rule Number 3: Give way to other cars entering a freeway whenever you can safely do so. In addition to doing the other driver a favor, it could protect you from a possible collision.
