Driver Liability for Rear-End Collision Despite Sudden Stop

A lower court ruling was appealed after it held a driver, who had failed to maintain a safe distance and consequently collided with a preceding vehicle that had stopped suddenly, solely liable for the accident, disregarding the sudden and unexpected nature of the preceding vehicle's stop. The high court rejected the appeal, reasoning that the trial court correctly applied the law by finding that the following driver's failure to maintain a safe distance constituted a breach of the duty of care required of all drivers, making that driver solely responsible for the resulting collision, regardless of whether the preceding stop was abrupt.