Situational awareness is really important when navigating traffic on the freeway. Unfortunately, it looks like the drivers behind the wheel of the Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz in the following brief clip have some catching up to do.
Recently posted to social media, the video is just a few seconds long and opens on a desert road. The conditions are clear and sunny, with a bright, blue sky above, and dry, clean pavement below. The video appears to be shot from the dash cam of a nearby motorist, who sees the entire incident play out right before them – and is even forced to play a part.
Traffic can be seen ahead of the camera video moving at a decent pace. All three lanes are clogged with cars and trucks.
As the video gets underway, we see a black Mercedes two-door drift from the middle lane over towards the leftmost lane. It doesn’t look as though the driver is signaling, but simply moves slowly to the left.
Suddenly, we see a black Cadillac Escalade quickly approaching in the fast lane. It doesn’t appear as though the Cadillac Escalade driver is aware of the Mercedes’ maneuver from the middle lane, as the former doesn’t even slow down or tap the brakes.
As we can see from the video, the passenger’s side front end of the Cadillac Escalade slams into the driver’s side rear quarter of the Mercedes. The collision crumples the front of the SUV and the rear end of the two-door Merc, causing the former to lose a wheel and the latter to spin out across all three lanes.
The Cadillac Escalade wheel continues to roll down the highway, while Mercedes rolls back into traffic, right in front of the camera vehicle. Luckily, the camera vehicle is quick to react, slamming on the brakes and stopping before also colliding with the Mercedes.
Keep your eyes open out there, folks.
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Comments
Should’ve used Super Cruise!
I blame it on the Benz. Should have looked closer and seen how fast the Caddy was closing in on him.
I believe the Benz was using iPhone text/calls- is NOT paying attention the road got hit his car.. Sloppy/careless driver lookout!!
The Benz was clearly the idiot and the offender here. Look before changing lanes. Oh yeah, use you signal too.
While the MB driver should have been more aware of their surroundings and is partially to blame, the Cadillac driver will be found at fault here and they had more than enough time to react to this situation. I put more blame on the Cadillac driver.
Benz is at fault. Signal or no signal changing lanes doesn’t give you ‘’right of way’’. Benz also didn’t make ‘’full cross over’’ into the new lane at the point of impact. Unsafe lane change with failure to signal.
Bingo! What people don’t realize is look at the video closely the MB was more than half way in the other lane when the Caddie hit it. The MB also had the signal light on. Was the MB driver right for making such a close lane change. No they were not, but the Caddie did have time to slow down safely. They didn’t even brake at all. They hit the MB head on form behind which tells me they were not paying attention. Ticket 🎫 for Caddie not MB. Hope everyone was okay in this accident.
If you look closely the MB hits their brakes just before the collision. They didn’t mean to go into the left lane. They drifted in because they were distracted….maybe phone use. 100% MB’s fault.
People just don’t pay attention anymore to busy doing what who the hell knows always in a hurry to go no where this accident could have easily become a fatality!!! Pay attention people when on the road !!! Be nice and share the road !!!
I watched it a few times, used to be an insurance adjuster. Depending on the state blame will be assigned to the Benz 100% or 25% Caddy, 75% Benz. What’s messed up here is it seems the Benz driver knew the Caddy was coming, hence the slow lane change. You can even see the Benz driver hit the brakes HARD right before impact. Caddy hits the brakes at about the same time. The caddy was also not driving any faster than the vehicles ahead of it. Probably a bit slower. Since the speed limit is unknown no determination on speed can really be made here. The trucks were causing a small bottleneck and it’s possible everyone there was going below the speed limit compared to the left lane. Allot of factors. The Benz slamming on the brakes right before impact? He/She wanted that hit and we’d push hard to make him liable.
Looks to me like neither driver was paying attention to their driving. The Benz, could have been texting, adjusting the radio, or something, as a distraction. The Caddy, Should have been slowing, If, the driver had noticed the Benz crossing lanes. Hard to say Why the Benz, hit the brake. Caddy didn’t brake until it had made impact, or at the moment of impact. I agree with the 25% Caddy & 75% Benz, fault.
Yes, neither driver was paying attention. But that is always the CASE EVERYWHERE!!!!! Slow down, do the speed limit, be respectful of other driver. You never know which car is full of gas, you may end up going to he’ll from the explosion!!!!!!!!
I think the Caddy driver wasn’t paying attention.
There was plenty of time for him/her to see what the Benz was intending & slow down to let the Benz in, but instead they decided to just plow into the back of the M-B.
Only a complete IDIOT would blame the Cadillac for that accident!! So if the shoe fits……go on ahead and wear it bruh!!!
I think a more likely scenario is that those two cars had been screwing with each other for miles and they were both making more and more provocative road-rage maneuvers AT each other. So basically 2 as* holes playing “chicken” around a bunch of other people.
What happened to all the built in safety features? Were they even activated on either vehicle? Of course these are the same safety features I’ve complained about not available on my 2022 2LT Corvette but have on my wife’s Hyundai Santa Fe. Tomg
That’s an older Mercedes, doubt it has any active safety features like lane keep assist. The Escalade, on the other hand, is a current model. Maybe the owner turned off the safety features, or they might have potentially malfunctioned. Nobody knows except for the person driving.
Benz driver, is selfish and Caddy maybe looking at his phone, instead of the road?
Hard to believe it sheared off Caddy RF wheel
I could be wrong but it almost looks like it is just a tire rolling down the road. The tire blew out and came off the rim.
MB driver was likely on the phone or playing with some onboard toy. It looked he was drifting aimlessly. Caddy driver probably thought the other guy would correct but the dumb$hit in the Benz was clueless.
I blame the trucks. Typical western road block. They need to keep those slow moving land whales in the right lane just like in the EU. If the lanes were open drivers wouldn’t be shifting lanes alll the time to dodge them.
In that video, there was a car in front of the Benz where the semi was in front of that car so that is not the case here.
Benz driver is at fault “all day long”. Got what he deserved! Probably should have “signaled” his intended maneuver?
I agree with Mike. The Escalade driver was following too close and not paying attention even after he hit the Mercedes he didn’t even slow down! That kind of driving is totally unacceptable.
Following too close? There’s like a 15-car gap between them and the vehicle ahead, until the Mercedes cuts over and brakes right in front of them. Looks to me like either a road rage incident or a failed insurance fraud job.
Two possibilities with the Mercedes driver: he/she is one of those entitled twits that drives like no one else is on the road. “I’m going to change lanes, and anyone else will just have to accommodate me. Cause I’m, like, special.” Second possibility is the twit was texting or something and didn’t even realize he/she was drifting out of his/her lane. One thing another commenter said that I disagree with: Mercedes driver may have lightly tapped his brakes right before collision, but definitely did not “hit the brakes hard.” He/she didn’t visibly slow.
Cadillac driver possibly also texting or otherwise distracted, aware enough to stay in his lane but no situational awareness beyond that. He had all the time necessary to slow or swerve and prevent hitting the Mercedes idiot coming into his lane. But apparently was totally unaware of the incursion.
After collision, Mercedes driver must have just shat himself/herself and froze up, absolutely has no control over vehicle. My guess, Mercedes driver is a 60 year old female who has been pampered and catered to all her life.
On the other hand, Mr./Ms Cadillac maintains an absolutely straight course down the left shoulder, gradually slowing. Not particularly easy when missing a front wheel. Mature but busy and preoccupied businessman.
75% Mercedes 25% Cadillac
100% MB is an inconsiderate turd.
My opinion, he/she saw the big ass Caddy speeding and just thought, let me just ease over. I feel is if the Caddy noticed but was certain that this MB wouldn’t commit. Hence MB hitting his brakes after CADDY didn’t slow down.
Your typical Mercedes driver and typical Caddie driver both applying their 70 IQ every time they go on the road.
I vote Benz at fault. Not signaling used to be a bmw habit yet in today’s “Of course you see me” world the habit’s all around. I drive Benz too. Not an SLK, tho.
After reading all these comments as to who people FEEL is at fault, the first thing you need to do is, understand the laws governing the rules of the roadways, after which some may get a better understanding of what actually occurred here. At the end of the day, the individual totally responsible for this near catastrophic crash is the Mercedes driver. Research the laws, which are universal throughout the USA when it comes to lane possession and incursion. Dude is lucky he didn’t kill someone!
They should of just stayed home BOTH OF THEM
Both drivers used phones
MB driver was 100% at fault. There’s a good possibility this crash was intentional because of the methodical and deliberate lane change. It would be wise to look into whether the driver was behind payments and needed a way out.
Insurance fraud the Mercedes Benz has no reason to change lanes because no one was in front of them to go around…
Both operators are idiots. Both of them should be alerts and know what is going on….
Both are IDIOTS, I see it every day. Cars will speed up especially when you put your lane signals on. The MB didn’t have the space and the Cadillac should’ve anticipated that the idiot might want to sneak in front.
There was no indication of the Benz signaling. The Benz driver braked for some unknown reason and most likely was distracted.
Too many people are paying more attention to their phones. Than the road the Caddy was at fault. He had time to brake. They must have money to burn and people are drive carelessly and brainlessly as well. Too fast and tailgating.
Look Honey, I think that speed bump just gave us a flat tire!
But, on a more serious note, this could’ve ended up fatally for everyone involved (definitely irresponsible).
To me, there are several issues involved. (1)- The MB starts swerving at HIGHWAY SPEEDS. This can be due to a number of reasons such as tampering with devices, intoxication of some sort, and possibly even tiredness. (2)- The Caddy was in the lane that it was already established in on the far left. If you actually study your Driver’s License Manual, the far left lane on any American Highway with 2 or more lanes in each direction is considered the Fast Lane (or Passing Lane). So, the Caddy driver had every right to be going somewhat faster than all of the traffic on their right side. (3)- The MB driver NEVER uses a turn signal to give notice of their intention. (4)- Tailgating is completely and totally not a factor in this situation. Tailgating involves following too closely (not giving a car-length) to the car in the same lane in front of you. The MB was never actually established in the same lane in front of the Caddy. In fact, the closest that they ever got to being in front of the Caddy was putting half of their car into each lane. (5)- The Caddy driver may have done like some drivers are taught to do where, if you see someone driving questionably around you, wait for a safe opportunity to get past them because they don’t pose any danger to you if they’re in your rear view mirror. (6)- So, in conclusion, this accident had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH two drivers speeding down the highway. The moral of the story is…..PAY ATTENTION and KNOW the RULES OF THE ROAD.
You’re sitting at Popeye’s beside the freeway wondering how you’re going to afford to replace the 22 inch wheel on your Caddy and then it just rolls up and flops beside your table. Pennies from heaven.
In my opinion both at fault more than the other the Benz was more at fault than escalade he used no signal,was slow asl switching lanes and didn’t give him self enough space to change lanes the escalade either he was using that auto drive $hit or behind thewheel texting
Thre are always someone using a Bens or a BMW, moving around doing exactly what this Bens did, getting in front of other cars, without caring how fast they come. The results are often what we just saw in this vídeo. We should a traffic sign saying,
YOU MAY HAVE MONEY BUT YOU DON’T OWN THE ROAD.
The person in the Cadillac had plenty of time to avoid the collision if they had been paying attention. Period. Both are at fault equally. Period. Both idiots and both can’t drive.
Ok let me be the one to tell you who is and who isn’t at fault the Cadillac is at fault yes because he was speeding but if you look closer the m-b is the main culprit in this scenario because looking at the photos and the video the m-b braked in front of the cadillac
It’s Cadillacs lane to do whatever it pleases. Speed or not. Cadillac owns that lane. If Benz was planted fully in that same lane and drove for another 50 feet and Cadillac rear ended the Benz; well it would be Cadillacs fault.
I would definitely put more blame on the mercedes. No signal …very unsafe lane change…if u are changing lanes to the fast lane u have to increase your speed not hit the brakes! Terrible driver.
Christopher….. Maybe you should look at this again and try to understand the rules of the road. I’ll say it again…..(1)- The Caddy is already in the left lane and thus already has the Right-Of-Way. (2)- The Caddy is barely going faster than the rest of the traffic (probably about 5 mph faster) which you are LEGALLY ALLOWED TO DO in the PASSING LANE (FAST LANE). The only valid point that you might possibly have concerns the reflexes of the Caddy should’ve been a lot quicker to press brakes. However, at the end of the day after the police, camera footage, and witnesses are done, the fault in ANY American Courtroom still falls on the M-B., Class Dismissed
Anytime you hit someone in the rear end you are at fault. If you want to really get down to it, The Cadillac driver had an open clear view of the Mercedes entering into their lane and plenty enough time to prevent the collision and didn’t do it, also the Cadillac was the vehicle doing the striking so in reality it caused the crash.
Damage to the Benz is rear tail light and drivers side so it’s rear corner hit/side swiped. Easy case for an insurance adjuster to see that it’s not a safe lane change. You simply can’t jump in front of someone. This video is not even needed.
Thank you Mike! Everyone else don’t seem to get this clearly! They keep saying it is the MB fault. No not in my state it is not. It is the Caddie fault because it is a rear end collision on top of the fact as you stated. The Caddie clearly seen the MB trying to make that lane change move and decided not to brake or doing anything to prevent this. I will say that yeah I think the MB was absolutely wrong and needs to learn how to lane change properly when driving. But at the end of the day law wise the Caddie would get the ticket for this. Is it fair? no they both should get tickets.
Which state is that?
Both could have done a better job at avoiding collision. MB made a lane change thinking he had plenty of time to do so but may have misjudged the speed of the Caddy
coming up from behind.
Caddy should have seen MB blinkers and slowed down. MB more at fault but both contributed to accident.
Insurance companies call it a draw and both pay for their respective insured drivers.
Person behind is almost always at fault!!
You are supposed to have your vehicle in control at all yes.
Looks to me like the MB was drifting more than changing. .Caddie should have been aware and slowed down.
Have a feeling they both were doing things other than driving!!
Both drivers a equally at fault here. MB clearly was distracted or fell asleep and drifted into the other lane. Caddy clearly was also distracted and not paying attention to the road ahead. Caddy has ample time to react to Mr. Dumb MBs actions. Also don’t think caddy used his brakes at all. I believe that was the forward collision brake system that kicked on when he got close enough and triggered when Mr. MB hit his brakes . Further proving that neither driver was paying attention to the road. Easily avoidable accident regardless of who was at fault. Both deserve tickets and license revocation.
Benz driver 100% at fault. Total lack of driver courtesy here. Unsafe lane change with failure to signal. It’s careless driving, and wreckless maneuvering like this, that can incite “road rage”.
Who is to blame? SUV looked like they would have hit the Mercedes even if they had turn signals on since they hit the break on impact. SUV blind spot? Or Mercedes for lack of judgements and turn signal for lane change. Does anyone have the follow up? Id like to know who “won”
Mike….that’s not always true, Mike. You are correct though in MOST, not all cases. All of the FACTS have to be taken into consideration. Ask yourself a question…..why are Blind-Spot Monitoring Cameras now standard, mandatory equipment on most vehicles today? The majority of them are mounted on the outside mirrors and project down the sides of the vehicle towards the back not the front fenders.
Now here’s the scenario that I want you to think about:
If there is a truck and a car driving in the same direction down the highway in lanes next to one another, neither one having blind-spot monitoring equipment, with the front tire of the truck almost even with the back tire of the car (in the blind-spot) and the car decides to move over into the same lane that the truck is already in because (for some ungodly reason) the car never notices the truck there. Now, the back driver’s side of the car gets smashed in (almost exactly what happened in the video). There is no way possible for the driver of the truck to be at fault for the accident even though the back of the car gets wrecked. Again……Class Dismissed!
Ahhh yes, the old – a car has a tool so it’s clearly the law claim 🙌😅 and I bet he’s pumped you dismissed his case!!! Wow!
Did anyone of you stopped and think why the driver in the Escalade did not honk in time before the Benz drifted and slowed down? So it is obvious that the person in the Escalade was paying half attention and no one knows for sure if there were driver and passengers talking, laughing or whatever and did not look until it was too late and did not brake.
Based on the short video, no one knows for sure if it was road rage prior to the short clip which did not appeared to be that way. Also the Benz was obviously distracted by texting or doing whatever that made the car drifted in the other lane.
Here are some examples that happened to me few times that kept me from having an accident. One day to work on the two lane street, there was a BMW driver that looked down and had to picked up something obviously that she must of dropped and I honked at her and slowed down when the car drifted close to my lane and she looked up and drifted back to her lane. Like really!?
And years ago in my 20s, I was on the left lane and the moron decided to cut in front of me all of a sudden on I40 East and I quickly reacted by braking hard with a violent honk while the idiot was driving at the same speed like the other four lanes of cars and taking his own sweet time not in a hurry. Also the car did not signaled either.
Also, my first car was ran into while parked on the street with no indication of tire marks. Not going into that situation and more to it that I don’t want to waste my time on here.
So, most likely depending on the laws of that particular state, if the vehicle does not show any indication that there were no tire marks on the road indicating from another car from severe impact from behind, most likely there could be some kind of charge for the Escalade driver and the Benz driver too. But lets say if the Benz driver lied, there was no cameras and that person stated that the Escalade driver swerved to them which obviously was not the case, the Benz driver may not be at fault unless they go to court and settle if the Escalade driver was given a hefty fine they disagree with, But based on where the crashes start and stopped, the highway officials can easily determine who was at fault if the driver in the Benz try to lie.
Moral of the story is that you can control what is in front of you and beside you but you can’t control who is behind you. So it is hard to say who is at 100 percent at zero fault since there were no tire marks on the road and failed honk to indicate that driver was in the wrong before the collision occurred from behind. Depending on the State where you live, don’t be surprised if both drivers get a hefty ticket or one let go free from charges.
This is the best answer I have seen this whole thread. Thank you… this is correct and as someone who has piled on 100k miles in 3 years in my little Kia… I fully agree and I am not in law enforcement or a lawyer but come from a family of them… Law is black and white. Person behind always is to blame as the brakes work a hell of a lot easier than gas for escaping a bad situation / you can see the entire field of view from your Escalade in front of you versus the person in front of you who probably wasn’t paying attention / who probably doesn’t know how to use 3 tiny little mirrors (or even worse they have those stupid camera systems). It’s maddening to see just because someone jumped in front of you that people emotionally just think it’s the person who stopped the other from being a badass on the roads 😅 just be calm people. I can see a bad driver in my mirrors from miles away – both these fools are bad drivers but the driver in the back will be responsible to a point as well.
Great comment. Literally, the only one who used real life scenarios to demonstrate the reality of the situation
95% Escalades fault. Both are bad drivers. I bet the MB wishes she had used the turn signal, the Escalades driver would still blindly plow right into her but the Benz would not be as much at fault.
No reason for the caddy to be going so fast towards clogged traffic and she should raise her seat up to see better.
They deserve each other.
I’m from Germany. We have der autobahn and move freely at high rates of speed. You americans are der worst drivers in der world! Please stay in america with your poor driving habits. You would definitely die on der autobahn!! Keep filming, we enjoy der laughs..
If u look close Benz has temp license plate could be driver was unfamiliar with car
The Benz driver. Stupid is…as stupid does! Needs a refresher course in Driving 101.
Professional driver here. I’ve watched the video several times now and I’m 90-95% sure MB was not paying attention to the task at hand, which was driving. I’ve seen scenarios like this play out numerous times up close and can predict its occurrence just by monitoring the traffic around me. MB was clearly in the wrong.
More so the Mercedes for, not watching as merging and also did not use his blinker and,l. On top of that, he is not going as fast as all the other drivers. so that can be a problem too. But actually, the Escalade had to [not] been looking at (all). So they’re both wrong actually it’s more or less a 50/50 thing.
I am glad door dashers and Lyft drivers call themselves “professional drivers” 😂 and very shocked by your “expertise” as you would know driver in rear is always responsible… but carry on, someone needs a ride!
After reading some of the comments it’s a mixed bag, some say Escalade others MB.Some accuse the Escalade of speeding,or a typical case of distraction.Others say MB improper lane change,distraction,failure to maintain lane of travel. Either way you look at it you can’t deny the fact the Escalade had rite of way be it in a state of distraction or not. Being half in a lane does not give a vehicle control of said lane,only full occupancy does. The MB executed an improperlane change i.e. failure to indicate lane change. The circumstances that led to the incident become irrelevant to the written law whether it be distraction,carelessness,complacency or otherwise.
Thank God it was only a crappy Benz on the freeway and not a mother pushing a stroller in a crosswalk because that dumbass Caddy driver never hit their brakes until they slammed the Benz. Guaranteed 100% they had their face buried in their phone!!
Benz driver 100% at fault. Total disregard for highway safety. Had he pulled this careless maneuver in front of a “Big Rig”, he would have gotten “plowed” into his own grave. On the bright side, that would be one less “bad driver” on the highway. This exhibition of wreckless driving should be seen on the T.V. show “World’s Dumbest Drivers”- what not to do when changing lanes on the highway.
The Cadillac was more than 2 cars behind the mb when came into the same lane ,&just not have been paying attention to other traffic ! I don’t know where this happened at ,but there is a blavl escalade that I have encountered in waikee , iowa that likes to tailgate , if this happened around there it was probably that cad! Be careful out there everybody cause anything can happen anywhere anytime ! Stop tailgating & put the dam phones down ! If you need to text go find a parking place to do it !, phones are for talking to people! Computers are for written messages!
No blinker. The left lane is for passing. Mercedes had an obligation to use blinker and speed up. They did neither. Hope they pay out a lot for paying zero attention while driving on a clearly large, fast roadway. If they had kids in that car they should be suspended from driving for years. Learn how to drive.
Blinker is ez to use.
More so, the Mercedes for not watching, as merging and also did not use his blinker and on top of that he is not going as fast as all the other drivers so that can be a problem too. But actually, the Escalade had to not been looking at all. So they’re both wrong and it’s more/less a 50-50 thing. Do you agree…
Lots of law degrees up in here… Gotta love that… Law is black and white and from my understanding (not an attorney nor claim to be right one bit but just from understanding of the law)… Person behind is ALWAYS at fault. The Cadillac has no options other than speed up and the Escalade has the ability to simply just brake… that’s where laws like following too closely also come in. Blame the caddy all you want but it was very easy to avoid this, a simple brake check by the Escalade ends all this, as does a sloppy lane change… but two wrongs don’t make a right. I hope we can get a follow up on this because I know all of us studious law students and practicing attorneys here would love to know the outcome. Remember, law is black and white… ain’t no middle.
Obviously, you don’t know what you are looking at. The Escalade is a Cadillac. The other car is an MB!
If that’s your only argument towards me is I got the models of car wrong, you clearly don’t have a strong argument 😂 you know what I’m saying… I just struck the right emotional string on you haha man, people are fn stooopid and ego is a mofo lol I love watching know it alls, know it allllllllll
Your screen name is accurate.
Caddilacs lane ..up to mercedes to give courtesy to the person already in the lane..caddilac has the right of way and mercedes gonna pay
Could you imagine Lan if this was the law – my lane – my rights. Would be pretty cool but I don’t think that’s how it works…