Every single year, there are well over 6 million car accidents that take place throughout the country. The average American will get into one about once every 18 years.
But not all car accidents are created equal. There are lots of different types of car accidents that you can get into when you’re behind the wheel of a car.
As part of car ownership, you should familiarize yourself with the various types of car accidents. It’ll keep driver safety at the forefront of your mind and make sure that you take vehicle ownership seriously.
We’re going to walk you through a few of the most common types of car accidents. It should help you to keep your head on a swivel when you’re out on the road.
Fender Bender
Of all the different types of car accidents on this list, a fender bender is easily the least serious one. Fender benders are, generally speaking, minor car crashes that don’t cause much damage or many injuries.
So, what is an example of a fender bender? Well, oftentimes, they will take place at intersections, including both those with stoplights and those without them. One car will usually crash into the back of another one after not realizing that the car in front of them wasn’t moving.
As we just mentioned, most fender benders are minor in nature and won’t force you to make any major repairs to your vehicle. But some fender benders can cause head and neck injuries and put you in a position where you’ll want to contact an auto accident law firm.
T-Bone Collision
Just like fender benders, T-bone collisions tend to take place at intersections. But unlike fender benders, they’re typically a lot more serious in nature and can cause catastrophic results in some cases.
When a T-bone collision occurs, one car will crash head-on into the side of another car. In many instances, this will lead to a lot of damage being done to both cars. It can also lead to injuries if a car slams into the driver’s side of another car.
Sideswipe Collision
When you’re driving side-by-side with another vehicle, you might not think that you’re in any danger. But there are times when a driver will try to move into another lane without realizing that another car is already there and—BOOM—sideswipe them.
Fortunately, sideswipe collisions rarely result in serious injuries unless a car hits another car with enough force to cause it to roll over. But sideswipe collisions can cause quite a bit of damage to both cars involved in them. It’s why you should always be mindful of the cars that could be driving next to you.
Head-On Collision
One of the scariest types of car accidents on this list is the head-on collision. If you’re ever involved in a head-on collision, it will be an experience that you won’t soon forget.
Head-on collisions can occur for a number of reasons. In some cases, a driver will swerve into the opposite lane on a road to avoid hitting a car, a pedestrian, or an animal. In other instances, they’ll drive the wrong way on a one-way street without realizing what they’re doing.
But regardless of the reason, head-on collisions are almost always going to do a ton of damage to both of the vehicles that are in them. They’re also often going to lead to any number of injuries taking place.
Many head-on collisions are unavoidable since they happen so fast. But you should do whatever it takes to get out of the way if you see another car coming towards you.
Vehicle Rollover Crash
Most cars have a good center of gravity that prevents them from rolling over at any point. But it’s not all that uncommon for some trucks and SUVs to have a center of gravity that can lead to them rolling over when they’re making wide turns.
If you own a truck or SUV, you should always be extra careful when you’re driving on winding roads. You should also steer clear of taking tight turns at high speeds.
And maybe above all else, you should get into the habit of wearing your seatbelt all the time. When vehicles roll over, people will often fly out of them when they aren’t wearing their seatbelts. You might be able to prevent this from happening to you by buckling up.
Multiple-Car Collision
When an accident involving one or two cars occurs, it’s usually just those cars that are affected by the crash. But if an accident happens in the blink of an eye, there is a chance that some other drivers might be at risk of running into the vehicles that were involved in it.
This can lead to a multiple-car collision, which is also sometimes referred to as a chain-of-events crash. There will be times when three or more vehicles are all in an accident at one time.
You might be able to avoid getting into one of these crashes by pulling your car over to safety if you ever witness an accident. But even then, you could get thrown into the action if you’re hit by someone who is behind you.
Try Not to Get Into Any of These Types of Car Accidents
If you spend enough time behind the wheel of a vehicle, you’re likely going to get into at least one of these types of car accidents. The odds are not in your favor when it comes to avoiding car crashes altogether.
But you should be able to reduce the total number of accidents that you’re in by practicing driver safety and paying attention to what’s happening out on the road. It’ll keep you, your passengers, and others as safe as possible.
Get more tips on staying safe in your car by checking out some of our other blog articles.
