Over 5 million car accidents happen yearly in the U.S. 43% of those accidents result in fatal injuries.
Unfortunately, road accidents occur daily and lead to the loss of many lives. They are normally caused by speeding, negligent drivers, and mixed intersections.
The accident’s cause may affect the severity of the victim’s injuries. This is important knowledge when deciding how much their claim is worth.
Awareness of the various types of car accidents can help you know the consequences. This then determines the course of action and how to respond in case of one.
Here are different types of car accidents that occur commonly.
Side-Impact Collision
This type of car accident happens when a vehicle hits the side of another car. It’s very dangerous because the side of the car has less capacity to absorb the impact.
A common cause of this crash is when one driver doesn’t give way to another in time. The struck car may roll over and even hit pedestrians if the impact is too much.
Auto accident injuries are bound to be more severe with this type of collision. You can buy a car with side airbags for head protection to avoid fatal injury.
Single-Car Accidents
These types of accidents involve hitting an object along the road or veering off-road. Mechanical issues like brake failure or spoilt parts may also cause such accidents.
Due to them involving one vehicle only, they’re caused by driver behavior. Driving a car while drunk, swerving, or falling asleep can cause a loss of car control.
The aftermath of such accidents includes property damage and passenger injury. In some cases, pedestrians may end up being accident victims.
Head-on Collision
When two vehicles driving in opposite directions collide, it’s called a head-on collision. This is the most dangerous type of accident, often causing fatal injuries and even death.
Head-on collisions represent a small percentage of car crashes. However, they are responsible for a significant number of crash-related deaths.
Some of the causes of these car accidents include:
- Entering the highway on the wrong side of the road
- Turning into oncoming traffic
- Drunk driving
- Entertaining distractions while driving, such as using the phone
When this type of collision occurs, call a car accident doctor immediately. Fast auto accident treatment is required to save the lives of passengers.
To ensure car safety, keep your vehicle in a single lane and be aware of traffic signs. Follow traffic rules and be careful at intersections.
Rear-End Collisions
These types of accidents occur when one vehicle hits another from the back. They’re less dangerous because the passengers in the front vehicle are far from the impact site.
Rear-end collisions are the most common and tend to happen at lower speeds. They may occur on congested highways, at stop signs, or at traffic lights.
To avoid such an accident, drivers should refrain from tailgating. Maintaining a safe distance between cars lowers the probability of a rear-end collision.
Rollover
A rollover accident happens when a car flips upside down or falls onto its side. These types of accidents are some of the most dangerous.
The two types of rollovers that can happen include tripped and untripped. Tripped rollovers happen when an external object hits the vehicle. Untripped rollovers occur due to wrong steering by the driver or speeding.
Rollovers can cause significant damage. Passengers may be ejected from the car, or the vehicle’s roof may collapse on them.
Hit and Run
This happens when a driver hits a pedestrian or another car but doesn’t stop to assess the damage caused.
It’s a criminal offense to flee from a hit-and-run accident. When caught, one is liable to fines and incarceration. If the hit person gets injured, they may sue you in a civil court.
Chain Reaction Car Accidents
A multi-vehicle collision occurs when more than two vehicles hit each other from the back. They occur due to the force of the first collision. This causes a chain reaction in which many cars are rear-ended by the cars behind.
These accidents are commonly seen on highways with a higher traffic concentration. Due to the involvement of multiple vehicles, damage to vehicles is costly.
Parking Lot Car Accidents
Parking lots can be a hot spot for accidents due to the high number of vehicles and pedestrians. It’s easy for a driver to be distracted by their environment or struggle to see clearly.
These types of accidents occur at low speeds; thus, the injuries are not serious. Such cases are hard to solve because it’s not obvious who was at fault.
Self-Driving Car Accidents
These cars are a safer alternative to those driven by people. They eliminate human faults responsible for most accidents.
Unfortunately, they aren’t as safe as they seem. This is especially when they come across an unexpected hazard. Determining fault in such an accident is hard because the driver has less control over the car.
Phantom Car Accident
The one driving the offending vehicle disappears after committing the crime. However, the driver’s car doesn’t make contact with your vehicle.
Their irresponsible driving may cause you to swerve and hit a pole, curb, or another car. This causes destruction that the phantom driver may or may not be aware of.
Sideswipe Collision
These types of accidents happen when two cars headed in the same direction collide sideways. It may occur due to a distracted driver swerving from their lane and hitting another car.
Types of Car Accidents
Car accidents may occur despite you being a careful driver. Irresponsible drivers are many on the road, which is why you should practice defensive driving.
Most of the car collisions that happen usually involve two cars. However, a big percentage of fatalities involve pedestrians and motorcyclists.
Apart from damaging vehicles and injuring people, accidents may cause severe mental trauma. This is why you should observe road and car safety. Remember to always wear your seat belt for protection in case of an accident.
If you have enjoyed reading this article, browse our page for more information on types of car accidents.
