How am i to blame?

[C-S wanna be]

Ok last thursday i got in an accident. now i was comin off the freeway followin some people from my robotics team goin to eat at National Coney Island for dinner. and we had to go into a turn around in a divided highway to go to coney. now as we were comin up to the turn around there were cars there and the people in front of me all smashed on their brakes. and with the chain reaction by the time it got to me i hit my brakes and slid into this kid in front of me. i almost got rear ended by the girl behind me too. so how is the kid stompin on his brakes at the last second my fault and why do i have to pay for all damages.

[Humboldt]

Originally posted by C-S wanna be
Ok last thursday i got in an accident. now i was comin off the freeway followin some people from my robotics team goin to eat at National Coney Island for dinner. and we had to go into a turn around in a divided highway to go to coney. now as we were comin up to the turn around there were cars there and the people in front of me all smashed on their brakes. and with the chain reaction by the time it got to me i hit my brakes and slid into this kid in front of me. i almost got rear ended by the girl behind me too. so how is the kid stompin on his brakes at the last second my fault and why do i have to pay for all damages.

Easy. It means you were driving too fast for the road conditions.
In this case the road conditions included congestion and poor highway design and you failed to take that into account (as did the fellow in front of you from the sounds of it).

How is your hitting the person in front of you NOT YOUR FAULT whatsoever?

You failed to maintain a speed from which you could de-accelerate your vehicle in time to avoid an accident. This is seen by the law as being your responsibility and, hence, your fault.

Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but you asked.

[JawZ]

even if you were going slow...you were too close to him...basically tailgaiting.

Leave a distance of at least two telephone pole lengths between you and other vehicles. This will give you the amount of time to react.

[poptom]

Yes, you are at fault. If that car in turn hits the one ahead you are responsible for that, too, so stay alert and keep your distance.

It could have been much worse so you had an easy lesson.

[Norm]

Following too close. You may not think it was too close, but it was.

Next time you see cars on the freeway all driving about 5ft from each other, you'll know just how dumb they are. And so many people drive like that it's scary.

Not that you were THAT (5ft) close. Still, you were TOO close and didn't have room to stop. Doesn't matter why the person ahead of you stopped. or how fast.

Answer to why you have to pay the damage. Cause it was YOUR fault

[JawZ]

And just to be clear...no one is bagging on you. You made a mistake. It was an accident. But most accidents are preventable.

Now you know and you'll be better prepared for the future.

[Norm]

"How am I to blame?" "why do i have to pay for all damages"

You asked