Car accidents can be caused by a variety of factors, including vehicular and road surface flaws, driver error, negligence, and/or recklessness.
Most Common Types Of Car Accidents in CAlifornia and the US
Despite the fact that each collision is unique, there are patterns in how they occur. Being conscious of the most common causes around our area could prevent an accident.
1. Rear-End Collisions
The frequent causes of rear-end collisions are drivers not paying attention to the road or following too closely. When a driver fails to leave sufficient space between their car and the vehicle in front of them in traffic, the driver behind them may lack the time and space to brake and prevent an accident if the traffic in front of them suddenly stops.
A rear-end collision is frequently caused by drowsy driving, drunk driving, and driving while distracted.
Although the rear driver frequently causes accidents by following too closely, they are not always to blame. The vehicle in front may be at fault if it abruptly stops in an active traffic lane or unexpectedly reverses it.
2. Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are one of the common types of serious car accidents, despite being less frequent in total. Due to the fact that both cars are heading toward each other, the impact force is multiplied.
As a result, head-on collisions are significantly more likely than other types of accidents to result in serious injuries or death.
Common causes of head-on collisions (link to common causes of car accidents article) include distracted driving, drunk driving, driver fatigue, speeding, and reckless driving.
3. Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions happen when a car hits another car traveling in different directions. When the vehicles collide, a “T” shape is frequently formed.
Side-impact accidents are extremely hazardous for the occupants of the side-impacted vehicle. The sides of cars have less mass than the front and rear ends to absorb the shock of a collision.
Drivers that fail to yield, stop at intersections, or violate traffic signs and signals frequently cause side-impact collisions.
The at-fault driver causing accidents while distracted, drunk, or driving recklessly may be held financially responsible for the severe injuries sustained by other drivers.
4. Sideswipe Accidents
Sideswipe collisions occur when two vehicles or more are going in parallel, and one vehicle collides with the side of the other vehicle.
Before merging or changing lanes, drivers who fail to check their blind spots commonly cause side-impact collisions.
They are hazardous because the initial impact might cause one or both vehicles to lose control and swerve off the road or into other lanes. The vehicles may collide with other cars, cyclists, pedestrians, or roadside objects.
Sideswipe accidents can result in severe injuries, especially when there is a secondary impact following the initial collision.
Frequent causes of side-impact incidents include driver inattention, recklessness, speeding, a distraction from using a cell phone, and impairment.
5. Single-Vehicle Accidents
Single-vehicle crashes are surprisingly prevalent. They are typically caused by a driver colliding with an animal, dropped cargo, or piece of road debris from another vehicle, such as a truck tire tread.
A single-vehicle accident can occur when a hazard leads a car to deviate off the road and strike a lamppost, guardrail, or another obstacle.
Depending on the location of the single-car accident, the vehicle may flip or fall into a ditch. Even when only one vehicle is involved, injuries might be serious when the vehicle crashes with a large or heavy item or rolls over.
Common causes of single-vehicle accidents include drug or alcohol abuse, driving while fatigued, excessive speed, poor weather conditions, and animals on the road.
Some are caused by the negligence of another party, such as a poorly built road work zone or careless driving that forces another driver to swerve off the road to avoid colliding with the irresponsible driver.
6. Multi-Vehicle Accidents
Accidents involving three or more vehicles can be disastrous. The involvement of multiple vehicles increases the likelihood of injuries and the number of insurance policies that may be available to compensate the injured. Multiple-vehicle accidents are frequently caused by a chain-reaction rear-end collision.
When a vehicle is wedged between two other vehicles, the occupants of the vehicle in the middle may sustain catastrophic injuries.
Finding fault in multi-vehicle collisions can be difficult. Multiple drivers may have contributed to an accident, and insurance companies frequently attempt to shift blame.
If you have been injured in a multi-vehicle collision, it is imperative that you seek assistance from an experienced car accident attorney.
7. Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents occur in a variety of scenarios and are more likely to result in catastrophic injuries. The force of being flipped over in a moving vehicle frequently causes serious injuries to all passengers.
Accidents involving a vehicle rollover can result in fires caused by spilled fuel or cargo, which can result in more injuries or be fatal if the vehicle explodes.
A rollover accident may potentially result in the ejection of the driver or passengers, resulting in severe injuries upon impact.
Common causes of rollover accidents include speeding, driving while distracted, drunk, fatigued, driving off the road shoulder, and other vehicles or objects forcing vehicles off the roadway.
8. Blind Spot Accidents
All drivers are required to check their blind spots before changing lanes or merging, but not everyone does so regularly.
When drivers neglect to check these, they might easily create a blind spot accident by colliding with another car. This driver error is also among the leading causes of sideswipe collisions.
Small autos and motorbikes can vanish in the blind spot of a larger vehicle. They are especially susceptible to side-impact collisions due to their small stature.
Large vehicles on the road have proportionally wider blind spots, which pose a significant threat to other car operators. Depending on the speed, angle of impact, and other variables, incidents involving blind spots can result in serious injuries.
9. Low-Speed Accidents
Even at low-appearing speeds, a 2,000- to 3,000-pound automobile or 5,000- to 6,000-pound SUV can generate a significant impact force. Regardless of the speed of the car that strikes them, the danger to pedestrians and cyclists is severe.
Impact angle is frequently more important than impact speed. Common injuries sustained in low-speed collisions include whiplash, crush injuries, neck and back injuries, severe bruises, shattered bones, and head or facial injuries.
10. Merging Accidents
Even for experienced drivers, merging into a packed traffic lane can be challenging. It is hardly surprising that incidents involving merging are widespread.
Accidents can occur when drivers attempting to merge into traffic fail to check their surroundings, do not match the speed of other automobiles or drive recklessly.
When other autos accelerate to pass someone who is trying to make a lane change, they may inadvertently cause collisions.
Typically, incidents involving merging vehicles occur at quite high speeds, so the resulting harm to drivers and other occupants is frequently severe.
What happens before, during, and after an accident is frequently confusing to those involved. The emotional impact of an accident can make it difficult to recollect the details.
Experienced attorneys can investigate the cause of a car accident and help you file a claim for the compensation you deserve.
Reeves Law Group has years of expertise in litigating claims in California and numerous other states. Our team has handled numerous high-profile cases involving car accidents and injuries of all types.
After years of practicing personal injury litigation, we continue to believe in the importance of establishing an attorney-client relationship.
Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that you comprehend each step of your case in a simple and concise manner.
If you were harmed in a car accident owing to the negligence or recklessness of another party, you have the right to seek just compensation.
Let Reeves Law Group analyze the specifics of your accident and explain how we may assist you in pursuing a financial recovery so that you can rebuild your life and move forward. Contact us today!
10 reference sources or statistics:
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2015/06/08/there-are-about-1-7-million-rear-end-collisions-on-u-s-roads-each-year-heres-how-to-stop-them/
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/type-of-crash/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217542/
- https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813141
- https://www.thebalance.com/single-car-accident-insurance-claim-527136
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-vehicle_collision
- https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/809438#:~:text=Annually%2C%20rollover%20crashes%20account%20for,of%20passenger%20car%20occupant%20fatalities.
- https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2143
- https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/Publication/810625
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23567212/
- https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/Publication/812115
