The Ruling on Blood Money and Expiation in a Car Accident

Question:
My brother was driving his car on the road when the driver of another car overtook him. By the will of Allah the Exalted, that man’s car overturned in front of my brother’s car, so my brother’s car collided with it. The result was the death of the driver of that car. Does my brother owe a ransom payment or an expiation?

Answer:
This depends on the traffic report. The authorities who handle the accident determine the percentage of fault involved, and the matter is referred to their opinion in this regard, as they are the experts. If they rule that the fault is shared between the two, then the expiation is on both of them; each one owes an expiation of fasting for two consecutive months. Likewise, the blood money: each one bears his share of the blood money. If the fault lies with only one person, one hundred percent, and the other has no fault, then the one who is at fault bears the responsibility. As for the one who has no share of the fault, he owes nothing. This is determined by the traffic report.