DEFENDANT REAR DRIVER PROVIDED A NONNEGLIGENT EXPLANATION FOR THE REAR-END COLLISION PRECLUDING SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant in this rear-end collision case raised a question of fact precluding summary judgment. Defendant alleged plaintiff abruptly changed lanes without signaling and came to a sudden stop in front of defendant’s vehicle:

… [A] rear-end collision with a stopped or stopping vehicle establishes a prima facie case of negligence on the part of the operator of the rear vehicle, requiring that operator to come forward with evidence of a nonnegligent explanation for the collision to rebut the inference of negligence” … . “A nonnegligent explanation may include that a vehicle made a sudden lane change in front of a defendant’s vehicle, forcing the defendant to stop suddenly” … .

Here, the plaintiff established her prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law on the issue of liability by submitting an affidavit wherein she averred that the rear of her stopped vehicle was struck by the front of the defendants’ vehicle … . However, in opposition, the defendants raised triable issues of fact as to the existence of a nonnegligent explanation for striking the rear of the plaintiff’s vehicle. According to the defendant driver’s affidavit, the accident occurred when the plaintiff’s vehicle abruptly changed lanes, without signaling, and immediately came to a sudden stop in front of the defendants’ vehicle … . Johnson v Payne, 2026 NY Slip Op 05775, Second Dept 10-7-26

Practice Point: Consult this decision for an example of a “nonnegligent” explanation for a rear-end collision which precluded summary judgment.​