What Are the Most Common Types of Car Accidents?

Jump to:

• Common Types of Car Accidents
• Common Car Accident Causes
• What You Can Do to Prevent Auto Accidents
• Find an Auto Accident Attorney

Unfortunately, car accidents are a part of life on the road in the United States. With more than 5 million medically consulted injuries from car accidents per year, there is a high likelihood of you getting into an accident at some point in your life.

The team at Eng & Woods has more than 100 years of combined experience helping injury victims, so we know a thing or two about the most common types and causes of car accidents. We want you to be aware of the most common types of car wrecks and how they happen so you can be aware and alert when you are on the road.

6 Common Types of Car Accidents

In our time reviewing auto accident injury cases, here are a few of the common types of car accidents our Columbia auto accident lawyers have seen:

1. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of accident, accounting for approximately 29% of all crashes. These collisions are the result of one vehicle colliding into the back end of another. These accidents can occur during heavy traffic and may end up involving several cars.
2. Head-on collisions are the most dangerous kind you can experience. Frontal impact accidents result in more occupant deaths than any other. These are caused by a vehicle leaving its lane and colliding with another going the opposite direction. While head-on crashes are rare, they are more likely to happen in rural areas where medians aren’t used to separate traffic.
3. Side-impact collisions or “T-Bone” accidents occur whenever one car is turning against traffic and collides perpendicular to an oncoming vehicle. T-bone accidents have increased in the last 20 years due to higher travel speeds and an increased number of SUVs, crossovers, and vans.
4. Single-car collisions are the result of a driver losing control of his or her vehicle and going off of the road, hitting a large object like a tree or sign. Distracted, impaired, and drowsy driving all contribute to an increased likelihood of going off-road. Weather conditions also affect a driver’s ability to maintain control of the vehicle.
5. Low-speed collisions usually happen in parking lots, school zones, or other designated low-speed areas. While damage to the car is minimal, injuries can still occur. Parking lots are an especially tricky place. The number of claims jumps up between Black Friday and the rest of the holiday season due to crowded shopping areas.
6. Pedestrian collisions are immediately dangerous to the pedestrian as they have no protection from the impact. Unfortunately, pedestrian fatalities increased by more than 3% in 2018, a year that marked the most pedestrian deaths since 1990.

5 Common Causes of Car Accidents

Many of our car-related accident cases involve:

• Driver Distraction: A review by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that about nine percent of fatal crashes and 15 percent of injury-causing crashes were distraction-affected. If you’re suffering because of someone else’s inattention, we can help.
• Driver Fatigue: The NHTSA found that about 100,000 accidents annually result from driver exhaustion. The National Safety Council reported that driving after going more than 20 hours without sleep is the equivalent of driving at the legal blood-alcohol concentration limit. Drivers who are on the road for many hours at a time and fail to stop and rest are at an increased risk of falling asleep behind the wheel.
• Drunk Driving: According to the NHTSA, about 30% of fatal car accidents are due to drunk driving. Driving under the influence (DUI) is a criminal offense, and those found guilty can end up with serious fines to pay, jail time, a probation period and even a loss of license.
• Speeding: Disregarding the speed limit increases the risk of a car accident and minimizes the reaction time for drivers, often leading to accidents with more severe damage and injuries. In 2022, speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities.
• Aggressive Driving: While speeding is considered the most prevalent form of aggressive driving, other driving behaviors listed below are an unnecessary distraction to all those on the road. Aggressive driving behaviors can include:
  • Tailgating
  • Flashing lights at other drivers
  • Ignoring traffic signals
  • Weaving or changing lanes frequently and without a signal
  • Failing to yield the right of way

Now that you’ve had a moment to see what types of car accidents are common and what is most likely to cause them, let’s review a few quick ways you can minimize your chances of causing an accident.

What You Can Do to Prevent Accidents

While there isn’t a strategy to completely prevent a collision with another vehicle, there are ways you can lower your risk.

• Focus on the road. Over 220 million people in the U.S. have a wireless plan, and around 80 percent of that group uses their phones while driving. Cutting cell phone use allows the driver to focus their attention on the road, making them more aware of what is happening around them.
• Never drive impaired or drowsy. Every day, 29 people in the U.S. die in a motor vehicle crash involving an alcohol-impaired driver. There is zero tolerance for the use of any substance that will alter your judgment before driving. Drowsy driving is something that is harder to regulate but is extremely dangerous as well. In 2013, a study showed that drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes.
• Obey the speed limit and other traffic laws. Following the speed limit will reduce the chance of ending up in an accident. Increasing your speed by just 10 miles per hour over the speed limit ups the risk of a crash by 9.1%.

Find an Auto Accident Attorney Today.

Has your life been impacted by an auto accident due to no fault of your own? Contact Eng and Woods law firm online or call us at 877-888-2345 and get the help you need to receive the compensation you deserve.