How to avoid rearend accident?

[Ms_Jam]

The bad news is that last night another car rearended me.

I was stationary, about three cars back from traffic lights, in the right lane with a median strip on my right. The lights had turned green, but the cars in front did not move. In my rearvision mirror, I could see a car coming up fast, too fast, behind me. I expected it to hit me, and in a couple of seconds it did.

My question of the wiser heads here is what could I have done to avoid the accident. My WS Fiesta Zetec has nice big tail lights, with a horizontal tail light on the spoiler. Would brighter bulbs have helped? The current ones I got from Repco (their in-house brand). Someone this morning suggested Narva lights.

Second, I could have slammed my car into first gear and tried to get onto the median strip. But I wonder whether I would have had time.

Third, I suppose I could have hit the emergency lights switch. Might have got a flash or two off before impact.

Fourth, would a loud horn have helped? One of the very few criticisms I have of the Fiesta is its polite little horn. Otherwise it is an outstanding vehicle IMHO.

Anyway, the good news is that not much damage was done. There were a few scratches on the paint. And the large plastic apron (if that's the term) on the back was partly dislodged. I suspect some of the metal is slightly bent. But I'm fine. The front of the car that went into me, on the other hand, was not in good shape at all.

Fortunately I always leave more than a bit of space between my car and the one in front.

So does anyone have any better ideas on how to avoid a rear ender when you can see one coming?