What Are the Main Types of Car Accidents and What Laws Apply to Them?

Car accidents are a common sight on the road. Some could have been prevented if the driver at fault had not been careless or had paid attention. Others happen due to bad weather and poor visibility or because there was debris on the road. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses if you have suffered serious injuries in a car crash. The first step you may want to take is to talk to a car accident lawyer to understand your legal options and decide how to proceed.

Main Types of Car Accidents

Being familiar with common types of car accidents may help you be an even more vigilant driver and pay attention to certain situations that may be developing around you. Here are some of them.

Rear-End Collisions

When a driver fails to pay attention to the vehicle ahead or is driving too close, this can result in a rear-end crash. The car in front may stop suddenly, or the driver in the back may be distracted. The official report may find that it was not necessarily the car in the back that was at fault but the one in front that stopped when there was no reason to do so.

Victims may suffer neck injuries, broken bones, damage to their spinal cord, brain trauma, and others.

Head-On Collisions

These are some of the most dangerous crashes. Fortunately, they happen less often than other types of wrecks. When both vehicles are moving towards each other, they collide with great force. That is why these accidents are likely to result in deaths or severe injuries much more frequently than in other car crashes.

T-Bone Collisions

When vehicles crash at a perpendicular angle, the driver or passenger of the car that is struck will likely suffer the gravest injuries. This is because the side of a vehicle has less mass to absorb the impact than the back or front. The main reason these happen is a driver failing to stop at an intersection, disregarding traffic signs and signals.

Sideswipe Accidents

These accidents tend to happen when both vehicles are driving next to each other, and one strikes the side of the other. This occurs when one driver fails to realize the other car is in their blind spot. These accidents are quite dangerous because they may result in one or both vehicles losing control and careening into other traffic lanes or going off the road. They may hit other cars, cyclists, pedestrians, or objects such as traffic lights, poles, etc. Injuries can be complex, and many people may be injured during the secondary impact.

Single-Vehicle Accidents

Single-car accidents occur when a driver strikes something on the road, an animal, or other hazards instead of another vehicle. The main reasons for these accidents are driving under the influence, driving while tired, using their phone while driving, and talking to passengers in the back seat. They may also happen because construction on the road is not clearly marked.

Multi-Vehicle Crashes

Accidents involving multiple vehicles tend to happen on larger roads with more traffic. Drivers in cars that get sandwiched between others generally suffer catastrophic injuries and even death.

Laws that Apply to Car Accidents

Laws that apply to car accidents require that you remain at the scene, call law enforcement, and wait until the police arrive and issue a report. You are also required to stop at the scene of an accident to help anyone who has suffered injuries.

Additionally, every state has a deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations generally allows victims two years to file from the date of the accident. You may have more time if the injuries are discovered later or if the injured party is a minor at the time of the collision.

If someone dies due to an accident, the deceased’s family also has two years from the time of death to file a wrongful death claim. If you let time go by before filing your claim, you run the risk of having it dismissed with no possibility of filing at a later date.

The state where you live may also require you to carry certain liability coverage. Keep in mind that the statute of limitations does not give you two years to let your insurance company know about the accident. You are expected to inform them within a reasonable time, preferably within a couple of days.

Written by Shailesh Thakran

Hi, I'm think tank behind Throttlebias. I love blogging, mainly about Automobiles. Via Throttlebias, I want to educate & share in-depth articles about Car Detailing and related areas. Outside Throttlebias, I love to write marketing & stuff.

Leave a Comment