Over 6 million accidents happen on our US roads every year, with around 6% of them resulting in at least one fatality. In fact, according to a report by Esurance, there’s a 1 in 366 chance of you getting in a car accident in a 1000-mile trip. It seems a bit far-fetched, but it’s worth noting that 77% of drivers have been involved in at least one accident during their driving life.
Statistics aside, there are many types of car accidents, some more fatal than others. Join us today as we look into some of the most common types of accidents on our US roads.
Head-on Collision
Head-on collisions are pretty simple; you’re driving in one direction, and another car driving in the opposite direction rams right into you.
Head-on-collisions are among the most dangerous types of road accidents. That’s because they happen at high speeds, which increases the likelihood of death and serious injuries by a considerable margin. Here are a few situations that could result in head-on collisions.
Driving Against the Traffic Flow
Driving against the standard traffic flow almost always results in a head-on collision. This happens when the driver is confused, under the influence, or missed the one-way street sign.
Passing
Passing on two-lane roads can be extremely dangerous if the passing driver underestimates the time it takes to pass the vehicle in front. A head-on collision is imminent if the oncoming driver doesn’t act fast.
Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is among the leading auto accidents causes. In fact, every 52 minutes, one person dies because of drunk driving. Driving under the influence impairs your judgment and reduces your ability to control the vehicle, increasing the likelihood of a head-on collision.
Single-Car Collissions
As the name connotes, single-car collisions involve only one car. These accidents happen when one car hits an object by the road or runs off the road. Accidents that involve vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists are not single-car collisions because of the involvement of another party in the crash.
Single-car collisions mostly occur because of:
Overspeeding: Driving too fast reduces the driver’s ability to control the car and negotiate sharp corners. As such, the driver can hit an object near the road or veer off the road. Overspeeding at night or when the weather is foggy increases the likelihood of a single-car collision.
Drunk driving: Driving under the influence impairs judgment and diminishes the driver’s vehicle control.
Hazards on the road: Hazards include animals crossing the road or random objects, possibly blown by the wind or placed accidentally on it.
Multi-Car Collisions
Multi-car collisions occur when more than two cars are involved in the same accident. This can happen when the impact from one car pushes the other into the path of oncoming traffic. It also happens if the front car in a stream of vehicles following close to each other crashes into an object or another vehicle.
Multi-car collisions result in massive traffic jams that take hours to resolve. These accidents are particularly dangerous when one or more cars are pinned in between other vehicles.
Rear-End Accidents
Rear-end accidents are arguably the most common type of car accident. These accidents occur when one car rams into the rear-end of the car in front. This happens when the driver behind follows too close to the driver in front of them.
Rear-end accidents also occur when the driver in front backs up into the driver behind them. In this case, the driver in front will be the one at fault. Ramming into or backing up into a stationary car automatically puts you at fault.
Rear-end accidents are seldom dangerous save from injuries like whiplash and the likes. However, most states have stringent laws against driving too close to the driver in front. That’s why the drivers at the back are almost always at fault in rear-end cases.
T-Bone Accidents
T-Bone accidents get their name because of the letter “T” shape the vehicles make during the collision. Another name for T-bone accidents is side accidents because it involves one vehicle hitting the other on the side. This happens when the front end of one vehicle hits the side of another perpendicularly.
T-bones accidents are more dangerous to the driver hit on the side. That’s because the driver who hits the other vehicle on the side has considerable protection from the airbags. Unfortunately, you can’t say the same for the other driver.
T-bone accidents are common in intersections when one driver misses a stop sign or runs a red light. Regardless of how late you are, ensure you always look both ways when crossing or joining an intersection.
Sideswipe Accidents
Sideswipe accidents occur when vehicles collide on their sides. This is common with vehicles traveling in the same direction, especially when one vehicle tries to pass another. When a vehicle from one lane wrongly enters an adjacent lane, there’s a high chance of a sideswipe accident.
This is common with drunk drivers who are too intoxicated to notice their vehicles drifting into the next lane. This also happens with fatigued drivers that are either too tired to notice the drifting or fall asleep on the wheel and let the vehicle drift into the other lane.
Low-Speed Collisions
Not all car crashes happen at high speeds. Low-speed collisions are common in low—speed zones like parking lots or school zones. Cars retain minimal damage in such accidents, but the drivers and pedestrians could suffer moderate to severe bodily harm.
You can avoid low-speed collisions by being extra careful while driving in crowded areas. Be extra keen driving in parking lots during black Friday and after musical concerts.
The last thing you should do if ever involved in an accident is to panic. Read this car accident recovery blog and learn everything you need to do if ever in a car accident.
Types of Car Accidents in a Nut Shell
Now that you know some of the most common types of car accidents, it’s on you to steer clear of them. All you have to do is practice safe driving habits, follow all traffic rules, and never drink and drive. Do this and play your active part in keeping our roads safe and accident-free. Did you find our guide on kinds of car accidents helpful? Check out the other pieces on the site for more informatieve content.
