What does rubbernecking mean

1 : to look about or stare with exaggerated curiosity drivers passing the accident slowed down to rubberneck. 2 : to go on a tour : sightsee.

Rubbernecking in driving is the act of slowing down while driving past the scene of something occurring outside your car. What catches your attention could be another car accident, an arrest on the roadway, a broken-down car, or anything else that sparks your curiosity.

In the United States, the term rubberneck is most often used to describe drivers slowing down to look at a car accident as they pass it. … The term rubberneck carries a slightly negative connotation, especially when related to an accident.

Is Rubbernecking Illegal? Although rubbernecking is not illegal per se, it may be considered a negligent act if it results in an accident. Furthermore, if the accident causes someone to have a bodily injury, the person that was rubbernecking may be liable for that person’s injuries.

Etymology. The term rubbernecking was a term coined in America in the 1890s to refer to tourists. H.L. Mencken said the word rubberneck is “almost a complete treatise on American psychology” and “one of the best words ever coined”.