Car crashes can happen to anyone. Even drivers who faithfully follow traffic laws can find themselves in a motor vehicle accident. Though accidents happen suddenly and unexpectedly, learning about the five most common car accidents can help you anticipate how and when they might happen. You may be able to avoid an accident altogether.
Side Impact/T-Bone
Side impact accidents are common. They happen when a vehicle either collides head-first or reverses into the side of another vehicle. Because of the “T” shape created by the two damaged cars, these accidents are also known as T-bone collisions.
Occupants seated next to impacted doors are especially vulnerable. In both rear-end and head-on car crashes, there is a larger buffer between passengers and the other vehicle. Unfortunately, car doors and glass windows are less durable in protecting victims of side impact accidents. Consequently, the impact of these accidents is more direct and often painful.
Typically, a side impact collision takes place in the middle of an intersection, head-on. Close to 25% of traffic fatalities in the United States are associated with intersections, according to the Federal Highway Association.
Surprisingly, this type of car crash tends to happen on roads that aren’t busy. Clear roads can misleadingly make motorists feel safer, so they aren’t on full alert. Often one driver misses a red light or a stop sign, resulting in a collision. Keeping an eye out for these distracted drivers at intersections could help you avoid an accident.
Collisions While Merging
On a busy road or highway, navigating traffic in a single lane can be a challenge in itself. Naturally, the potential for a car crash increases when merging between lanes.
It’s easy to see how carelessly merging across multiple lanes, cutting off other drivers, and failing to use a turn signal lead to car crashes. But unaggressive driving can also lead to collisions while merging.
Motorists can misjudge how much space they have to move into an adjacent lane. Some drivers cause motor vehicle accidents when they enter a highway too slowly. Others accelerate too quickly when merging.
To prevent this type of motor vehicle accident, it is critical to check your blind spots before merging. Also, you don’t want to disrupt the flow of traffic; yield to the lane you want to enter, but maintain a reasonable speed and avoid fully stopping.
Rear-End Accidents
Rear-end accidents can occur when a sudden stop is necessary and drivers aren’t able to react quickly enough. You may have witnessed one near a red light or stop sign.
These accidents are often a result of distracted driving. It’s all too common for motorists to divide their attention between handheld devices, loud music, passengers, and the road. When multitasking, drivers give themselves less response time to come to a halt.
Just a few seconds can mean the difference between a safe stop and a rear-end collision. Some drivers dismiss these rear-end car crashes as minor. In reality, they can result in chronic pain and expensive repairs.
Worn out brakes or tires can also contribute to rear-end motor vehicle accidents. If you’re new to Stuart, Florida, you might not know that for Florida drivers, annual vehicle inspections aren’t required. There is no way to ensure that other cars are road ready or that other drivers are attentive. Fortunately, keeping your own vehicle in quality shape and staying focused can help you maintain control when you need to react quickly.
Head-On Crashes
Head-on collisions often happen when one driver is headed in the wrong direction on a one-way road. In other circumstances, distracted drivers veer off their intended path into oncoming traffic.
Colliding with another vehicle head-on can be one of the most terrifying car crashes a person can experience. Head-on collisions also result in incredible destruction, both physically and financially. Modern airbags and other improvements in technology have decreased the severity of head-on collisions in many cases. Yet they remain one of the deadliest types of car accidents.
The sheer force of two vehicles propelling into each other can tragically lead to serious injuries, including brain damage. Passengers involved in head-on collisions could suffer traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, sudden damage to the brain from a blow to the head. Severe, irreversible brain damage is a possible outcome. Even mild concussions can have serious impacts without proper medical attention.
Multi-Vehicle Pileups
A multiple-vehicle pileup is a collision involving many vehicles. They sometimes happen when a massive vehicle, an 18-wheeler for instance, swerves and overturns in the path of other cars. Other times, multiple-vehicle pile-ups begin with one car rear-ending a vehicle, propelling it into another.
These chain-reaction car crashes tend to happen on congested roads and highways. As the number of vehicles in a pileup increases, so does the number of passengers at risk. Busy, blocked roads and a tangled pile of cars only act as additional obstacles for first responders.
To reduce the likelihood of a multiple-vehicle pileup, travel a reasonable distance away from the car in front of you. Driving at or below the speed limit also helps to mitigate your risks.
Contact The Eberst Law Firm
No matter the type of car crash, no motor vehicle accident is too small to be overlooked. If you or a loved one suffer a car accident, through no fault of your own, contact Eberst Law Firm today. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys work tirelessly to represent our valued clients and we strive to achieve maximum compensation. You can reach our Stuart, Florida team by contacting us online or by phone at 772-225-4900.
