A car accident is a scary experience nobody wants to go through. Unfortunately, accidents happen every day on roads and highways across the country.
Knowing the common types of collisions can help identify liability following a crash. If you are unlucky enough to be in an accident, you should also know what to do in the aftermath to protect your health, safety, and legal rights.
Here, a car accident lawyer will discuss the main types of auto accidents, why they occur, and what you need to know if you are dealing with the consequences of a collision. If you have injuries from a crash, never hesitate to schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney.
Rear-End Collisions
One of the most frequent kinds of car accidents is the rear-end collision. This happens when the front of one vehicle crashes into the back of the vehicle in front of it. Rear-end accidents are especially common in stop-and-go traffic, intersections, parking lots, and any other situation where cars are close together and may need to brake suddenly.
There are many potential causes of rear-end collisions:
- Following too closely behind another car and not leaving enough stopping distance
- Distracted driving, like texting, eating, or adjusting controls and not noticing slowed or stopped traffic ahead
- Slippery roads due to rain, snow, or ice that increase the stopping distance
- Malfunctioning brake lights on the front vehicle
- Speeding and being unable to slow down in time
In a rear-end crash, the occupants of the vehicle in front often suffer whiplash injuries to their head, neck, and back due to the sudden jolt forward. More severe rear-end collisions at higher speeds can result in head injuries, broken bones, spine and back injuries, and other serious trauma.
Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact crashes are another common type of accident. These happen when the front of a vehicle crashes into the side of another, forming a “T” shape at the point of impact.
Side-impact wrecks frequently happen at intersections when one driver runs a red light or stop sign and collides with a vehicle proceeding through the intersection. Other causes of broadside accidents include:
- Distracted driving and not noticing cross-traffic
- Misjudging another vehicle’s speed when making a left-hand turn
- Aggressively trying to “beat” a yellow light
- Drunk or drugged driving
- Malfunctioning traffic signals
Occupants on the struck side of the “T-boned” vehicle are especially vulnerable to serious injuries, as that part of the car has less structural protection compared to the front and rear. Severe side-impact crashes can result in head trauma, brain injuries, neck and spinal cord damage, crushing injuries, broken bones, and lacerations from shattered glass. Tragically, high-speed T-bone collisions are often fatal.
Head-On Collisions
A head-on collision is an extremely serious type of accident where the front ends of two vehicles hit each other, often when traveling at high speeds. While not as common as other accident types, head-on crashes have a higher risk of catastrophic or fatal injuries due to the violent force of two moving vehicles slamming into each other.
Head-on accidents are often caused by:
- A vehicle crossing the centerline into oncoming traffic
- Wrong-way driving, especially on highways or one-way streets
- Swerving or losing control on curves
- Attempting to pass unsafely on a two-lane road
- Falling asleep at the wheel or fatigued driving
- Impaired driving involving alcohol or drugs
At higher speeds, head-on collisions often result in drivers and passengers being crushed or thrown from the vehicle. Survivors may suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, internal organ damage, multiple fractures, disfiguring facial injuries, and other devastating trauma.
Sideswipe Collisions
Sideswipe collisions happen when two vehicles traveling in the same direction make contact with their sides scraping along each other. In some cases, the initial sideswipe impact may cause the driver to lose control and veer off the road or into other vehicles, leading to a more serious secondary crash.
Common causes of sideswipe accidents include:
- Drifting out of the lane, often due to distraction or fatigue
- Merging or changing lanes without checking blind spots
- Overcorrecting after drifting onto the shoulder
- Two cars trying to merge into the same lane
- Swerving to avoid a road hazard
- Driving too fast in conditions with low visibility
While sideswipe accidents are often less severe than other crash types, they can still result in vehicle damage and driver and passenger injuries. Victims may suffer head, neck, and back injuries from the side-to-side motion or more serious trauma if the sideswipe causes a rollover or secondary collision.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
Not all crashes involve multiple vehicles colliding. Many accidents, especially in rural areas, only involve one car. Common types of single-vehicle accidents include:
- Run-off-road crashes where the vehicle leaves the roadway and hits a tree, pole, fence, guardrail, or other object
- Rollovers, where the vehicle flips onto its roof or side, often after striking something
- Collisions with animals like deer, especially at night
- Crashes into buildings, houses, or other structures
Just because only one vehicle is involved doesn’t mean these accidents aren’t serious. Rollover crashes and collisions with trees and poles can cause devastating injuries like head trauma, spinal damage, crush injuries, and broken bones. Drivers and passengers may be thrown from the vehicle if unbelted.
Multi-Vehicle Pileups
Some of the most devastating crashes are multi-vehicle pileups involving many cars and trucks crashing in a chain reaction. These accidents often occur on busy highways and interstates, especially in poor weather conditions with low visibility.
Multi-car pileups often start with a single driver losing control, jackknifing, or rear-ending another vehicle. That initial collision then sets off a series of additional rear-end crashes and secondary accidents as approaching drivers cannot stop in time to avoid the wrecked vehicles in front of them. Some pileups involve dozens or even hundreds of vehicles crashing into each other at high speeds.
Risk factors for multi-vehicle accidents include:
- Icy, snowy, or wet roads
- Fog, heavy rain, or blowing snow causing low visibility
- Speeding and reckless driving
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving, especially by commercial truck drivers
- Sudden slowdowns due to road construction or traffic jams
Massive chain reaction crashes can have catastrophic consequences, including drivers and passengers being crushed between vehicles, thrown from cars, or trapped in burning wreckage. Many victims suffer life-threatening or fatal trauma.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney
No matter what kind of accident you were in, if you suffered an injury due to a negligent driver, the best way to protect your rights is to speak with a knowledgeable car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
An experienced personal injury attorney can investigate the causes of your crash, gather evidence to build your case, handle all communication with the insurance company, and fight for the full compensation you deserve for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses.
The consultation is free; you pay nothing unless your case is won. Contact a car accident attorney in your area today to get started.