How do chain collisions happen, especially on highways, and how can I avoid being involved in one?

The two primary causes of chain collisions are inattentiveness and a lack of situational awareness.

- Shreejit Changaroth

Attentiveness, on the part of the driver, refers to the level of concentration exercised by the person controlling the vehicle. Whether it is braking on time to stop at a comfortable distance behind the vehicle ahead or avoiding an obstacle, the driver has to be sufficiently focused behind the wheel.

These days, drivers can be distracted by the mobile phone—even if it is securely mounted or connected to the car's infotainment system—or the myriad functions on board the car. It makes you wonder if motor manufacturers sufficiently legislate safety standards.

On that note, while many current-generation cars come with collision avoidance systems such as lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring, they are not intended as substitutes for driver attentiveness.