Common Types Of Fatal Car Crashes

By injury.io | February 25th, 2023

Car crashes have become a sad staple of life on the road. Every year, millions of motorists suffer serious injuries, and thousands are killed in accidents that could have been prevented. A fatal car crash is an especially tragic event that can leave family, friends, and strangers reeling from shock and grief. Here we explore the common types of fatal car crashes to better understand how they occur and what steps can help you avoid them.

The roads are often dangerous, but understanding the causes of certain crashes can help prevent them from happening in the first place. Knowing which collisions cause the most damage can also help bolster your liability claim if you’re suffering from car accident injuries or losing a loved one in a collision.

If you’re dealing with the aftermath of a serious car accident, Injury.io can help connect you with the legal resources you need.

Head-On Collisions

It is often said that head-on collisions are the most dangerous type of car crash. But does this saying hold true? To get to the bottom of it, let’s examine some facts about these types of accidents.

Head-on crashes occur when two cars traveling in opposite directions collide with each other. The force generated by such a collision is easily fatal for both drivers due to the high speed and suddenness.

Additionally, since both vehicles are moving at at full speed, there is no time for either driver to react or take evasive action. This further increases the potential for serious injuries and fatalities. It is also worth noting that even if airbags deploy successfully, they may not protect enough from such an intense impact.

All evidence suggests that head-on collisions pose a significant risk and are considered one of the deadliest types of fatal crashes on the road.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions are generally among the most common types of car crashes. According to the Insurance Information Institute, rear-end crashes account for roughly 18% of collisions between moving motor vehicles.

These collisions occur when one vehicle hits another from behind, often because the driver failed to recognize or react quickly enough to changing road conditions. Generally, these crashes happen at low speeds, but they can still cause serious injury and even death in some cases. This is particularly true when one or both vehicles are large trucks.

Rear-end collisions may result from distracted driving behaviors such as texting while driving or talking on a cell phone. They can also be caused by recklessness like tailgating or speeding. Regardless of how it happens, the impact of a rear-end crash is significant if both cars involved have insufficient safety features.

Depending on the severity of the accident, injuries sustained during a rear-end collision may include:

Whiplash
Head trauma
Broken bones
Soft tissue damage

It’s important to follow safe driving practices such as wearing seat belts and avoiding distractions while operating motor vehicles. This is especially true when traveling on highways where high-speed travel is more likely to lead to catastrophic outcomes should an accident occur.

Side-Impact Collisions

Side-impact collisions are one of the most dangerous types of car crashes. Also known as T-bones or broadside accidents, they often result in devastating consequences. With a sudden and violent impact on the side of your vehicle, it’s no surprise that these accidents can cause serious injuries and fatalities.

When two vehicles collide with each other from perpendicular angles, there is typically little reaction time for either party to avoid it. This means that even at low speeds, the force created by the crash is enough to devastate both cars and their passengers.

In addition to reducing visibility due to airbags deploying, this type of accident also has an increased chance of causing severe spinal damage due to the jerking motion caused by the collision itself.

For drivers looking to protect themselves from such tragedies, a tip is to take extra precaution when passing through intersections – especially those without traffic lights – and always keep an eye out for oncoming traffic while doing so.

Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents are like a house of cards collapsing – one wrong move, and it all comes tumbling down. Just as the intricate structure of a card tower is taken apart easily, so too can the balance of an automobile flipped in an alarming instant. The devastation caused by rollovers is often catastrophic, making them some of the deadliest types of car crashes:

They account for up to 18% of vehicle occupancy deaths in fatal accidents
Rollovers most frequently occur when vehicles turn sharply at high speed
Drivers who don’t wear seatbelts have an increased risk
SUVs and other tall, narrow cars are especially prone to rolling over
Overcorrecting or oversteering on sharp turns can cause rollovers

These collisions take many lives each year due to their extreme nature. However, understanding what causes them can help drivers avoid putting themselves in danger’s way.