Types of Car Accidents

Head-On Collisions

A head-on collision is a type of accident in which the front parts of two vehicles collide directly and with force. Head-on collisions can result in catastrophic injuries, property damage, and even fatalities. These collisions are not as common as other kinds of accidents, but the consequences are severe.

Head-on collisions often occur because of distracted drivers. Anyone who engages in other tasks while driving puts everyone on the road at risk. By far, texting and driving is the biggest problem. Taking your eyes and mind away from the road to read or write a text could easily lead you to swerve into oncoming traffic.

Head-on collisions can also occur because of intoxicated driving. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol affects your concentration levels, as well as your reflexes and coordination. You could even fall asleep at the wheel.

Speeding could cause this type of car accident, as well. It’s much easier for a car to skid and get out of your control if you’re traveling at high speeds.

Another way that a car can get out of your control and cause a head-on collision is if the driver is fatigued. You might not even notice you’re swerving into another lane until it’s too late.

Rollover Accidents

Together with head-on collisions, rollover accidents are the most dangerous type of crashes. They involve the car flipping onto its roof or side. Any vehicle can roll over, but the majority of these accidents occur with vehicles that have high centers of gravity, including SUVs and trucks.

One of the most dangerous aspects of rollover accidents is that they usually result in the ejection of vehicle occupants.

The car may roll more than once, depending on the speed at which it was traveling and whether it struck another vehicle or another object.

These accidents can be physically and emotionally traumatic because of their severity.

Rollover accidents often occur as a result of speeding or taking turns too quickly. If you’re driving above the speed limit, you’ll have a much harder time controlling the car. Keep in mind that speeding doesn’t mean just going over the posted speed limit. It also means traveling faster than road conditions allow.

If you’re driving too quickly, you also don’t have as much time to stop to prevent a collision that could result in a rollover accident.

Distracted driving is a cause, as well. If your eyes and attention are on your phone, a passenger, or anything but the road, you could collide with an object or another vehicle and cause the car to tip.

Road conditions could also cause these kinds of accidents. Uneven pavement and potholes can cause you to lose control of your car and result in a rollover, especially if you are traveling at high speeds.

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving refers to the act of driving a vehicle with a disregard for the safety of other people on the road. It involves a conscious or intentional indifference to traffic laws with the full knowledge that accidents could occur.

Lots of behaviors can be classified as reckless, including:

• Running red lights
• Running stop signs
• Going 25 mph or more over the speed limit
• Racing other vehicles
• Intentionally failing to yield the right-of-way
• Evading law enforcement
• Driving under the influence

Keep in mind that reckless driving isn’t the same as careless driving. With careless driving, there’s no ill intent, while there is with reckless driving.

Reckless behaviors like rapidly changing lanes or speeding can all lead to the car rolling over, as well as many other types of accidents.

Whiplash

Whiplash occurs when sudden force or movement strains the neck and spine, and usually happens when the head moves rapidly backward and forward. Rear-end collisions most commonly cause whiplash, but any crash can lead to this injury.

Whiplash varies in severity, with the mildest forms causing mild discomfort. The most severe cases, however, can lead to neurological symptoms like muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness, and more.

The more severe forms of whiplash can cause lasting damage that could impact your whole life.

Multiple-Vehicle Collision

A multi-vehicle collision is an accident in which many vehicles are involved. They’re common on highways, where hundreds of drivers travel at high speeds.

Often, these collisions occur because the cars approaching the accident don’t have enough time to stop or they don’t have enough visibility to see the upcoming hazard.

Multi-car accidents occur more often when there’s fog, rain, or other weather conditions that make visibility a concern. Drivers who aren’t following appropriate speeds or who are distracted can easily cause a pile-on.

These kinds of accidents can result in a variety of injuries as well as property damage. They may also be challenging when filing a personal injury claim because establishing who was at fault requires extensive investigation.

Hit-and-Run Accidents

Hit-and-run collisions are those in which one of the parties involved leaves the scene of the accident before offering sufficient information. It could also involve failing to properly report the crash.

In New Jersey, you have to report a crash if it results in injuries or property damage of $500 or more. You must do this within 10 days of the accident. Otherwise, it’s considered to be a hit-and-run.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions are one of the most common types of accidents, and they occur when a car hits the car directly in front of it. Although the majority of these accidents occur at low speeds, they can also happen on highways and other high-velocity roads.

This type of collision often results in milder injuries, like whiplash, though rear-end collisions that occur at high speeds can also lead to spinal injuries and even traumatic brain injuries like concussions.

A rear-end collision can occur if the at-fault party was driving at a higher speed and crashed into the car in front while it was either in motion or stopped. It can also occur if the rear driver rolls forward at a low speed and hits the car in front.

Although most rear-end collisions involve just two cars, the accident can cause a ripple effect that affects others, too.

Distracted driving is a common culprit in these kinds of accidents. If the rear driver was distracted and didn’t notice the car in front of them slowed or stopped, a collision could occur.

Intoxicated driving is also a potential cause. Drugs and alcohol can affect coordination and reflexes, making it more difficult for drivers to react in time to prevent an accident.

Drivers who engage in aggressive driving, including actions like tailgating, speeding, and cutting in front of other cars, can cause rear-end collisions.

T-Bone Collisions

A T-bone crash happens when the nose of one vehicle hits the side of another, forming the shape of a “T” at the point of contact. In the U.S., these side-impact accidents cause 23% of vehicle occupant deaths in an average year.

Most of the time, T-bone collisions occur when one driver doesn’t yield to the party who has the right-of-way. T-bone collisions occur most often at traffic intersections where there’s a stop sign or traffic light.

Distracted driving could be to blame, but the cause could also be speeding and driving while intoxicated.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

No matter the type of car accident you’re involved in, there are some crucial steps you need to take right after it occurs.

The first thing you need to do is to assess whether you or your passengers are injured. Look for bleeding and check for pain. If you hit your head during the accident, try not to move. Call for emergency services or have someone do it for you.

When medical professionals arrive, you need to have them check you for injuries, even if you don’t feel any pain. Often, the adrenaline and shock of the accident can mask injuries, so having someone with experience look you over allows you to quickly get the help you need.

Another benefit of having emergency services assess you is that it leaves a record of the injuries you suffered. Your lawyer can use this later on if you choose to file a claim.

You also need to call the police and report the accident. Doing this allows you to get a police report in place. Make sure not to admit to any fault to the officer, but do provide an honest account of what happened.

You want to exchange information with the other parties involved. During these conversations, you need to avoid any mention of fault.

If you’re well enough to do so, take pictures of the accident. Get a record of the vehicles and how they’re positioned, as well as of the injuries you suffered and even the road conditions. If you need to go to get medical treatment, have someone else drive you.

It’s also a good idea to gather information from bystanders who saw the accident. This can help later on to prove who was to blame.

Next, you need to contact a car accident lawyer with experience in the type of accident you’ve been involved in.