A road accident, also called motor vehicle collision, car accident, or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction, such as a tree, pole, or building. Traffic collisions often result in injury, disability, death, and property damage as well as financial costs to both society and the individuals involved. In the next section of this article, we will be looking into “Types of road accidents”
13 Types of Road Accidents
- Single car accident
- Multiple vehicle collision
- Vehicle rollover
- Rear end collision
- Side impact collision
- Pedestrian Accident
- Sideswipe collision
- Head-on collision
- Accident due to DUI
- Motorcycle Accident
- Distracted driving
- Hit and Run
- Chain Reaction Driving
- Failure to yield
- Accident at low speed
- Accident at Intersection
- Bicycle Accident
1. Single Car Accident:
This is a type of road traffic accident in which only one vehicle is involved. A majority of these types of crashes are run-off-road collisions, collisions with fallen debris, rollovers, and collisions with animals. It may be due to sleep, drowsiness, or brake failure.
2. Multiple Vehicle Collision
This involves three or more vehicles in a chain of events from a single event. These pileups can range from minimal to massive, resulting in a lot of confusion multiple injuries, and fatalities. Whether you land in the mix may very well depend on your situational awareness and the distance you keep from others sharing the road.
3. Vehicle Rollover:
These particular types of crashes are complex and violent. More than any other type of crash, rollovers reflect the interaction of the driver, road, vehicle, and environmental factors. Although a vehicle’s type has a significant role in the accident, so does driver behavior and road and environmental conditions. Other factors include speed, alcohol consumption, and location. According to the NHTSA, data showed that nearly 85% of all rollover-related fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes, and also reports that 2.3% of car accidents are rollovers.
Read Also: Types of accidents (With comprehensive classification)
4. Rear-End Collision:
This is a traffic accident where a vehicle crashes into the vehicle in front of it. These are usually due to driver inattention or distraction, tailgating, panic stops, and reduced traction due to irregular road conditions caused by weather. Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of car accidents, amounting to 29.6% of all U.S. car crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
5. Side-Impact Collision:
These accidents, also known as broadside or T-bone collisions, are where the side of one or more vehicles is impacted. These crashes commonly occur at intersections, parking lots, and when two vehicles pass on a roadway accounting for about a quarter of passenger vehicle occupant deaths, according to the IIHS. The results from a side-impact collision can be severe but can vary depending on where the vehicle is struck. Side impacts may also include single-vehicle accidents if a car hits an object such as a fire hydrant or light pole. The NHTSA reports that 28.9% of car accidents in the U.S. are side-impact crashes.
6. Pedestrian Accident
When a car strikes a pedestrian who is crossing the street or on the side of the road, a pedestrian accident happens. Because they are more vulnerable to being struck by a moving vehicle, pedestrians may suffer serious consequences from these accidents. Fast-moving cars can make these collisions more severe and impactful by reducing the amount of time that the pedestrian and driver have to react. diversions from phones and other diversions, as well as pedestrians’ lack of awareness of their surroundings, frequently play a role in these collisions.
Furthermore, inclement weather or low visibility situations might make it more difficult to see pedestrians. Pedestrian accidents serve as a reminder of the significance of suitable infrastructure, such as crosswalks and pedestrian lights, as well as the necessity for both vehicles and pedestrians to pay close attention to traffic safety regulations.
7. Sideswipe Collision
Whether you’re on a country road or a freeway, driving right next to another vehicle is quite risky. Any distraction by the other driver may cause them to drift from their lane — into yours — resulting in anything from a minor bump to a disabling blow. Avoid these crashes by staying clear of blind spots (yours and the other driver’s) and taking notice when others are driving too close to the lane divider.
8. Head-On Collision:
This type of accident is when the front ends of two vehicles hit each other in opposite directions. Head-on collisions are often fatal road traffic accidents. Being aware of traffic signs, and street conditions, and staying in your lane play a critical role in avoiding these types of accidents. Roughly 2% of car accidents in America are head-on collisions.
Read Also: Major causes of road traffic accidents
9. Accident Due To DUI
Accidents that occur due to the driver being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs can lower the inhibitions of drivers and cause them to make poor judgments and careless driving. These are quite common and driving under the influence is against the law. So if you had a night out and feel like you might not be up to driving, then let another person drive you or take a taxi or other means of transport.
10. Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents include a variety of events in which a motorbike collides with another vehicle, a pedestrian, or an object. Because motorcycle riders are particularly vulnerable, there may be special contributing elements to these accidents. One of the main causes is poor visibility; because of their smaller size and blind areas, motorbikes are frequently overlooked by other drivers. Road hazards like potholes, debris, or wet leaves might be more dangerous for motorbikes than for vehicles because of their instability.
Moreover, bikers do not have the same protective shell that an automobile affords its occupants, which usually leads to more serious injuries in collisions. Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable despite safety precautions like helmets and protective gear, which highlights the need for everyone using the roads to be more alert.
11. Distracted Driving
Although driving can seem like a small thing even losing your focus for a tiny moment can cause a lot of damage. Nowadays technology is the main distraction such as changing the music channel etc. Drivers are constantly checking their mobile phones, GPS other devices for directions. Even passengers in the car or eating, drinking coffee, or any other drink can be a reason for the driver to get distracted as well.
12. Hit And Run:
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident and not stopping afterward. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions.
13. Chain Reaction Accidents
Multi-vehicle accidents commonly occur when more than two cars hit each other in a chain of rear-end accidents. Typically, they happen because of the force of the first collision: the last in a line of cars (Driver D) rear-ends the second to last car (Driver C), pushing Driver C forward into the third to last car (Driver B), causing Driver B to rear-end the first car (Driver A). These types of accidents are also called “chain reactions.”
Although they can be the result of a single driver’s negligence, chain reaction accidents may involve instances of carelessness by multiple drivers. Many people, including passengers in any of these cars, may sustain injuries.
14. Failure To Yield Accident
A failure to yield an accident occurs when a driver fails to yield the road appropriately, causing a crash. What makes these accidents different from many other types of crashes is that often the injury victim drives into the car that fails to yield. These accidents happen in situations such as when there is a flashing yellow or red light, when a driver making a left turn fails to yield to oncoming traffic, when a car is aggressive about merging onto the highway, when a driver is entering the street from a private driveway, or when a driver fails to yield the right of way to a pedestrian already in a crosswalk.
15. Accident At Low Speed
While to some this might seem unlikely accidents at low speed can occur when a driver is slowly reversing their car and doesn’t see a person or another vehicle parked behind. Or if a car is coming slowly out of a parking lot and they make a turn and don’t see the oncoming vehicle. At most times accidents at low speeds don’t cause much damage but can still be bothersome for the parties involved.
16. Accidents at Intersections
Accidents involving two or more vehicles crossing paths at intersections are referred to as intersection or cross-traffic accidents. Traffic signal violations, such as running a red light or failing to yield when necessary, can result in these accidents, which can be especially severe. These events can also be caused by distracted driving, which includes using a phone or other device while driving. This is because the driver may not notice changes in traffic signals or the movement of other vehicles.
Intersection accidents can also result from aggressive driving practices like rushing through an intersection or from unlawful movements like making forbidden turns. Thus, when negotiating junctions, it is imperative to pay close attention, exercise patience, and strictly follow traffic laws.
17. Bicycle Accident
Because cyclists are less protected than occupants of motor vehicles, bicycle accidents frequently result in significant injuries to the riders involved. Many things can lead to these collisions, such as drivers’ and cyclists’ distractions from the road, like using cell phones, and breaking traffic laws, like failing to give the right of way or running red lights. Another important contributing factor is “dooring,” which occurs when a car’s occupant opens a door into the path of an approaching cyclist.
Moreover, the danger of these incidents may be raised by shoddy intersection design or a deficiency of safe cycling infrastructure, such as designated bike lanes. These occurrences highlight the significance of driving carefully, the visibility of cyclists, and the requirement
I believe from the topic “Types of Road Accidents” you have learned something new.
Note that when we talk about types of road accidents, it is not static as there are no standard criteria for classification.
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