Everyone knows you must stop at a stop sign. So why do most accidents happen daily at intersections with clear stop signs? Let’s look at several possible issues, broken into five segments, which might be the cause of an accident at a stop sign.

Issue One: The car behind you is not slowing down. Always check the rear view mirror to see if the person in the car behind your car is aware that you are slowing down and is also slowing down. Because of many distractions, drivers don’t always see the stop sign in time — if at all. Insurance can replace your vehicle but what about your back and neck!

Tip #1: If as you approach a stop sign, you see that someone is tailgating you, try slowing down earlier than usual, just enough to get the brake lights on. If you start braking earlier than usual, there is a greater chance the driver behind you will notice and react by slowing down. Maybe “pump” your brakes to get attention.

Whenever you approach a stop sign, it is a good idea to look for all “outs,” meaning assess where you can move or swerve if another vehicle is going to hit you. That way, if you look in your rear view mirror and see the person behind you is not slowing down, you will be able to follow through and avoid a collision (i.e. move onto the shoulder etc.), regardless of whose fault it is. As they say, no one wants to be “dead right.”