Ask Trooper Steve: If I’m rear-ended and hit a car in front of me, who’s at fault?

Trooper Steve answers viewer questions

ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated.

On Thursday, Trooper Steve was asked by Lucy, “If I am rear-ended and the force of the crash causes me to hit the car in front of me, do I get the ticket and who pays for this?”

“If you find yourself at a stop and a vehicle is in front of you, the last thing most of us are expecting, is a distracted driver to impact us from behind. If you are simply sitting there at a stop, and this occurs, you have not done anything wrong,” he said.

Trooper Steve explained if the impact of the crash that causes your car to crash into another object or vehicle, the vehicle that struck you would be the car listed at fault in a crash report. You would not be issued a citation.

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“Keep in mind, this is being determined without any extenuating circumstances,” he said.

If you have a traffic question for Trooper Steve, email him at asktroopersteve@wkmg.com.


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About the Author

Steven Montiero, better known as “Trooper Steve," joined the News 6 morning team as its Traffic Safety Expert in October 2017. A Central Florida native and decorated combat veteran, Montiero comes to the station following an eight-year assignment with the Florida Highway Patrol.

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