The Common Types of Car Accidents Explained

Car accidents are an unfortunately common occurrence on US roadways. In 2019 alone, for example, there were over 6.7 million car accidents.

Even worse, they are difficult for regular drivers to avoid. The average adult will end up filing at least two or three insurance claims for auto accidents over the course of their life.

While likely unavoidable for most people, you can end up in many types of car accidents. Curious about the different types of car accidents? Our informative guide will help you explore some of the common types of car accidents.

Rear-End Collision

A rear-end collision happens when one vehicle impacts the back of another vehicle. These typically happen due to driver distraction, poor road conditions, or tailgating.

This kind of crash is one of the most common types of crashes for all drivers. They make up around 30 percent of all car accidents in the US.

Head-On Collision

Head-on collisions are one of the most dangerous kinds of accidents you can experience. The odds of getting injured in a car accident rise dramatically with head-on wrecks. Unfortunately, so do the odds of a fatality for drivers and passengers in both vehicles.

In these accidents, two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide nose to nose. This magnifies the total forces your body experiences, which helps explain why so many people get injured or die in these wrecks.

Side-Impact Collision

Commonly referred to as a T-bone crash, a side-impact collision happens one vehicle crashes its front end into the side of a second vehicle. You most often see these accidents at intersections or parking lots, where vehicles routinely move at right angles to one another.

The levels of vehicle damage, injuries, and fatalities vary a great deal with side-impact collisions. Low-speed side-impact accidents typically result in minor vehicle damage and injuries. High-speed impacts often result in massive damage and severe injuries or death.

Rollover

Rollovers happen when a vehicle overturns onto its side or onto its roof. You typically see these accidents in areas with sharp corners. People take the corners too fast and the momentum pushes the car over.

You may also see rollovers in two-vehicle accidents.

Single-Vehicle

Single-vehicle accidents serve as a kind of catch-all term for any type of crash that only involves one car or truck. If you knock over your mailbox or hit a telephone, those are both single-vehicle accidents.

Avoiding Different Types of Car Accidents

You may not avoid all the different types of car accidents forever, but you can take steps to help you avoid them.

Find defensive driving courses and take them periodically. These courses provide you with tactics that help you spot and avoid others’ careless driving.

Avoid common distractions, such as talking or texting on your phone. Don’t adjust your car stereo while in motion, since it typically forces you to look away from the road.

Looking for more car accident info or advice. Check out some of our other car accident articles in the News section on this site.