When we are out on the roads, we need to constantly be on the lookout for what actions other road users are going to make next. If the driver in front of us puts their indicator on, we need to be prepared to stop or slow down for when they turn off. If there is a pedestrian waiting to cross the road, we need to be prepared to stop in case they run out in front of us.
As a driver, we have a duty of care to other road users – not only do we need to be aware of what their next move is going to be, but we need to make them aware of what we intend to do next. A lot of us assume that if we stop suddenly, it is the driver behind us who will be at fault if they crash into the back of us. In most cases, this is generally true.
However, if someone is driving in front of you and they suddenly stop without warning, causing you to crash into the back of them, there is still a responsibility for the lead driver to explain why they stopped so suddenly. The reason for them stopping needs to be an adequate reason for doing so. For example, if a child ran out in front of their vehicle, this would be seen as a valid reason for stopping.
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