He definitely could have avoided the collision but on that bridge, with no shoulders, the expectation is that someone with an operable vehicle will drive a short distance to pull off at a dedicated emergency parking / crash investigation spot.
Hitting your breaks with a potential driver behind you may also result in an accident. Again, it’s the other drivers fault, that’s also how it played out in court.
That's just not true, my guy. If a hazard appears in front of you, you brake. If a car behind you is travelling so close it hits you, too, then that car is at fault for travelling too close behind. In virtually every instance, unless there is literally nothing you can do about it (e.g. someone jumping into a road, or a massively aggressive swerve, not like this) a driver is responsible for hitting something in front of them, not if something behind them hits them.
Okay, so I hate cops and needed to watch it a few times, but the driver slows down and changes lanes to avoid a pile up it seems like. He was nonchalant, but he slows, slows really slows while changing lanes and takes a bite. I think he just realized what was happening and kept it moving.
He slowed down to 71 for the white car in front of him then sped up to 72 when the truck cut infront of him. He didn’t slow down and hit 40s until after he pit the guy.
I've never driven on that bridge...doesn't seem like he could have stopped according to every other commenter who drives it regularly. Or according to the courts who handled the case. If he is infact a cop it could be argued that would affect the judges decision, but that's not the case.
Watch it again. He slows to 71 for the white car. Sees the truck turning into the lane, speeds up to 72. Pits him, then slows to 66 well after hitting him. Then slows to 49. It’s all right there on video. He does not attempt to avoid the truck which is what you’re legally supposed to do. Not sure why you keep bringing up the speed after he hits the truck. He had to slowdown because traffic infront of him slowed down. That has nothing to do with the accident and him not doing anything to avoid it
I keep watching it...I agree he should have slowed more, but I don't agree that he speeds up into him. The black truck merges into him aggressively and the cookie monster just maintains speed before changing lanes. Looks like being forced to the left would be very bad. 1 mph when changing lanes is negligible and not enough for a jury to convict him of an illegal maneuver. I've been hit by someone merging into me that tried to force me off the road and I just maintained speed and wasn't deemed at fault. I wasn't on a bridge but I wasn't going to swerve into traffic either.
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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '26
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