Although you may try to drive carefully and cautiously, some car accidents are out of your control. Unfortunately, other drivers often decide to drive carelessly and recklessly, putting your and other people’s lives at risk.
After a recent car accident, you may want to know what type of accident it was. Having a clear understanding of each type of car accident makes it easier to deal with the aftermath if you suffer an injury. Reach out a car accident attorney for legal guidance.
Some types of car accidents happen more frequently than others. Here are ten of the most common types of car accidents that you should try to avoid.
Rear-end car accidents
Rear-end car accidents typically happen when a distracted driver follows the car in front of them too closely. When the vehicle in front of them slows down or stops abruptly, the driver behind them may not have enough space or time to hit their brake pedal, causing a rear-end crash. Therefore, drivers must give adequate space and pay attention to the roads and vehicles in front and around them to prevent rear-end car accidents.
Sideswipe car accidents
Sideswipe car accidents usually happen when two vehicles drive next to each other on a highway or roadway with multiple lanes. One vehicle may move into the other vehicle’s lane, striking the side of the car.
Sideswipe accidents occur when individuals fail to check their blind spots when changing lanes, merging, or turning. Some may think that sideswipe car accidents are minor and do not cause significant damage. Still, the impact of these accidents can lead to drivers losing control, veering into other lanes with oncoming traffic, or even running off the road.
T-bone car accidents
T-bone car accidents can happen at busy intersections, parking lots, or local roads. This type of accident is known as a T-bone accident because the two vehicles form the shape of a T. The front of one car collides with the side of the other, causing the individual hit on the side to likely feel most of the force and impact from the accident.
These accidents commonly occur when a driver fails to yield the right of way, texts and drives, or runs a red light or stop sign.
Head-on car accidents
One of the most dangerous crashes is a head-on car accident. This type of accident occurs when the fronts of two cars collide. The impact can cause severe, life-threatening injuries and death. Head-on collisions may involve drinking and driving, drowsy or fatigued driving, or distracted driving.
Hit-and-run car accidents
Hit-and-run car accidents are among the most frustrating accidents. Drivers must remain at the scene and wait for police officers to arrive.
Drivers may leave the scene due to a warrant for their arrest, no license or car insurance, or drinking and driving.
However, chasing after them will only make things worse. Once law enforcement arrives at the scene, you can explain which direction the vehicle went, give a detailed description of the driver, and locate surveillance cameras that may have recorded footage of the accident. Eyewitnesses can also help you reveal additional information about the driver who fled the scene.
Rollover car accidents
Rollover car accidents are terrifying for those inside the car and can frighten those who witness a vehicle roll over onto its side or top. Removing the victims involved in rollover accidents from the automobile as fast as possible is imperative. A car can catch on fire or explode due to a potential fuel leak.
These accidents frequently occur when a vehicle turns sharply or goes around a curve quickly. Driving too fast, intoxicated driving, distracted driving, and driving while tired are common factors in rollover accidents.
Pile-up car accidents
A pile-up car accident, often called a multi-vehicle accident, is when several different cars are involved in one accident. Multiple vehicles are piled up in a collision simultaneously, causing injuries, road shutdowns, and blocked traffic. Pile-up accidents usually occur because of one or two drivers’ mistakes, which cause a chain reaction or domino effect.
For example, if one car slams on brakes, the car behind them may rear-end them, which may also cause the car behind them to crash. Liability is hard to pinpoint in a pile-up car accident. However, a knowledgeable and skilled car accident attorney can do that.
Single-car accidents
Single-car accidents usually catch people by surprise. While you may think that at least two vehicles must be involved to be considered a car accident, that is not the case. Single-car accidents generally happen when a vehicle strikes something on the road that may be in its path, such as an animal, a pole, a tire, debris, a child’s toy or ball, and more. These types of accidents are typically minor and cause minimal injury.
However, the vehicle can run off the road or experience extensive damage depending on where the accident occurred and the type of object struck. Situations such as inclement weather, poorly maintained roads, driving while fatigued, impaired driving, and distracted driving often play a role in single-car accidents.
Some single-car accidents can lead to severe injuries and even death. An experienced car accident attorney can help you determine your losses and fight for compensation.
Backing up car accidents
When a driver puts their car in reverse to back up, they may be involved in a backing-up car accident. These accidents occur most often in parking lots, neighborhood roads, and driveways.
Drivers who put their cars in reverse should always check their mirrors and blind spots before proceeding to ensure that a person or another vehicle is not behind them. It is common for backing-up car accidents to involve children and older adults who may be playing or walking behind a car.
Left-turn car accidents
Even though car accidents can happen regardless of how you turn, left-turn car accidents are more common than right-turn car accidents. Left turns typically occur at busy intersections where drivers must wait their turn.
If the driver waiting at the intersection fails to ensure they have a clear path before turning, an oncoming car may crash into their vehicle. These accidents usually occur because drivers think they have enough time or space to turn before an oncoming vehicle crosses their path. They can also happen when a driver speeds up to turn at a yellow light in hopes of making the turn before the light turns red.
The types of injuries that result from car accidents
No matter what type of car accident you were involved in, seek medical attention as soon as possible to rule out any injuries. The following are the most common injuries that car accident victims may experience:
Traumatic brain injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are common among car accident victims. The impact from the accident can cause them to hit their head on the steering wheel, windows, windshield, dashboard, or any other hard object within the car. As a result, the tissues within the brain may bleed, tear, or suffer permanent damage.
These injuries can take days or weeks to show any signs, so you must tell your doctor if you hit your head during the accident or are experiencing symptoms such as headaches, nausea, irritability, light sensitivity, mood swings, and more.
Spinal cord injuries
When a car accident victim is diagnosed with a spinal cord injury, it is highly likely that they will never fully recover, requiring extensive long-term medical care. Spinal cord injuries impact the brain’s ability to communicate and send messages to specific body parts.
Unfortunately, these injuries are typically permanent and come with lifelong complications, such as paralysis, bladder or bowel control loss, fevers, high blood pressure, and more.
Amputations
Individuals involved in car accidents often suffer deep cuts and lacerations. The impact from the accident can cause broken glass, sharp metal pieces, and flying debris, which can easily damage your arms, legs, hands, or feet beyond repair.
Burn injuries
Burn injuries may occur if your vehicle catches on fire, explodes, or leaks harmful chemicals. Individuals who suffer intense burn injuries may experience severe scarring and disfigurement. Your doctor will diagnose and treat any burns. These injuries can cause excruciating pain and may require multiple surgeries and skin grafts.
Facial, dental, or eye injuries
Facial, dental, and eye injuries are common occurrences in car accidents. Due to the force and impact, many people break their teeth, jawbone, and nose. They may also lose some of their teeth, suffer an eye laceration, and experience vision loss. These types of injuries are disfiguring and can cause much emotional trauma.
Internal bleeding
A medical professional must control internal bleeding quickly, or the individual may lose too much blood and pass away.
Internal organ damage
During a car accident, the force and impact may cause your organs to become bruised, pierced, punctured, and permanently damaged. Common organs that typically experience trauma in an accident are the kidneys, spleen, liver, lungs, and heart. Since these organs are vital to your survival, you must have them checked after a car accident.
Coma
A person in a coma has lost consciousness for days, weeks, months, or even years. A car accident may cause an individual to be in a coma if they suffered a forceful blow to the head, resulting in a traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, or brain swelling. The longer a person is in a coma, the higher their chance of never waking up and living an everyday life again.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a neck injury when the neck moves back and forth too quickly. Victims of rear-end car accidents frequently suffer whiplash injuries; however, any car accident can cause the neck to become severely injured and even fractured. These injuries cause significant pain and suffering as well as lifelong complications.
Call a car accident lawyer today
If you were in a car accident due to a careless or reckless driver, you may file a claim and seek compensation for your damages.
You are not only dealing with the excruciating pain and property damage from the car accident but also watching your medical bills accumulate, attending continuous physical therapy appointments to get your strength back, and losing income from work. You might experience severe emotional and psychological trauma that makes everyday activities challenging and requires professional help.
While things may seem hopeless when you’re dealing with costly injuries and losses, you do not have to endure these hardships alone. Contact a car accident lawyer at your earliest convenience to get the legal assistance you deserve.
You should not have to pay for injuries suffered in an accident caused by someone else. An experienced personal injury lawyer will investigate the crash, collect evidence, obtain the police report, and build a case on your behalf so you can focus on your recovery.