Accidents happen at any moment. And when they do, there are a bevy of risks to consider:
- spinal cord injuries
- rollover accidents
- side impact collisions
- auto insurance claims
- catastrophic injuries
- …and more.
Car accident victims may suffer permanent physical injuries – the results of which can last for decades. When a personal injury occurs, it is vital for the passenger to seek immediate medical attention to help prevent future health issues – and to save the person’s life. Car accidents can be the result of reckless driving, head on collisions, rear end collisions, a multi vehicle accident, or simply someone running a stop sign.
Being aware of your surroundings, oncoming traffic, and young drivers will help keep your family safe, but sometimes it isn’t enough to help avoid a car accident from happening. Lawyers for Justice, PC has a team of personal injury attorneys that are committed to helping victims of car accidents get the maximum compensation possible. Here is a list of the five most common types of car accidents to keep watch for.
- Rear End Collisions
Rear end accidents occur when a driver is following too closely behind another car. When the car in front of the driver stops suddenly, the driver may end up “rear-ending”, or crashing into the other car. These car accidents are the most common type of car accident. Depending on the speed of both cars, a rear end vehicle accident sometimes is not a major cause of damage or injury, but they are still common car accidents and can happen to event he most experienced drivers.
The best way to prevent a rear end car accident is to take preventative measures. Drivers should drive cautiously (and not drive distracted) and keep a safe following distance behind the car in front of them. It’s important to follow the “3 second rule.” This vehicle rule indicates that a driver should count in one-second intervals when the vehicle ahead of them passes a certain point, like a traffic light. If the car ahead passes the traffic light before he or she reaches 3 seconds in their count, he or she is following too closely.
Motorcycle drivers should account for four seconds. Being mindful of these rules will help reduce the amount of automobile accidents and high speed rear end collisions.
- Single Vehicle Crashes
Single vehicle crashes are common car accidents that happen often as well, both in residential areas and at higher speeds. This type of car accident can sometimes involve speeding, parked vehicles, and other drivers (especially teenagers, as they are not quite as experienced obeying the speed limit, paying attention, and obeying traffic lane laws). These common car accidents include running off the road, slipping on ice and spinning out of control, and hitting stationary objects. Generally, overcorrecting a small mistake or braking too hard to avoid an obstacle are the most common causes.
Ice & Snow
Black ice is an incredibly dangerous element that causes single car crashes. Although California rarely sees snow, it is still one of the leading causes of automobile accidents among cities in cold weather climates.
Single vehicle crashes can cause permanent injuries and a significant amount of damage, both physically and in property damage. They can occur in a parking lot, one way street, because a driver is on their cell phone, or because they are driving the wrong way.
The variety of this type of car accident makes it difficult for attorneys to advise on how to avoid each and every single car crash, but drivers should remember two things: 1) avoid reckless driving and dangerous speeds that make reacting to obstacles safely more difficult and 2) take extra care of your vehicle in inclement weather, as snow, ice, and rain. These weather conditions make losing control of a vehicle much easier. For a free consultation, call the attorneys at Lawyers for Justice, PC today.
- Cross-Traffic Accidents
Cars crash for a multitude of reasons, but cross-traffic collisions are the third most common types. These types of accidents can be due to:
Unsafe Lane Changes
Lane changes can happen because of blind spots when one driver is switching into another lane at a high speed, or even in a residential area. Lane changes can cause fatal crashes, especially if it happens on the highway. Always use turn signals and be aware of blind spots in your vehicle.
Distracted and Reckless Driving
When a driver is distracted, much can go awry. Distracted driving can happen if a driver ran through a yellow light or red light to cause a collision, if they missed traffic signals, or even if distracted drivers hit pedestrians (if they are distracted enough). Be sure to keep eyes on the road at all times when driving and avoid using or looking at cell phones.
Distracted driving IS reckless driving. High speed collisions are common when the other driver is behaving recklessly, like driving too fast or weaving in between other vehicles. It’s more challenging for a reckless driver to maintain control of their car, so all drivers must be wary of these types of drivers.
Night driving
Driving at night may cause accidents and doubles the chance of an unintentional collision. Whenever the sun sets, you need to be aware of your surroundings.
Drunk Driving
Whenever one drinks, it is impossible to concentrate and function normally because the alcohol has pickled their perception. Unfortunately, driving drunk causes vehicle accidents every day. And the saddest part is, they are easy to avoid.
- T-Bone and Side-Impact Collisions
A side-impact car accident is also called a “t-bone” accident and they can occur at high speeds or low speeds. Sometimes t-bone collisions happen when someone makes a left turn into busy traffic and doesn’t see another car coming straight for them. And thus, the two vehicles will crash.
Design Defects
Sometimes cars can malfunction without fault from the driver. Do you know someone who was in a collision because one of the vehicles involved was built improperly? If so, the car accident attorneys at Lawyers for Justice, PC can help.
Running Stop Signs
Stop signs should never be ignored – despite the infamous “California roll” that many drivers adopted in California. Running stop signs can cause serious auto accidents and hundreds of car crashes occur annually because people run the signs and cause an accident. To avoid causing an accident, always come to a complete stop at stop signs and look left, right, and left again before continuing to drive.
Speeding
Some drivers disregard state speed limits and cause side-impact crashes or other types of serious car accidents. Drivers should always obey the speed limit.
- Low Speed Accidents
The final most common type of car collision are low speed collisions. A person doesn’t have to be speeding to cause harm. Often low speed collisions can happen in a parking spot, if one car backs into another, for example.
Teen drivers
Sometimes people who are just awarded their license are dangerous drivers because they don’t yet have the experience on the road that other, more seasoned drivers have.
Road Rage
Some drivers let their anger overwhelm them. People operating cars who have road rage not only are more apt to make reckless decisions, but they also jeopardize the safety of themselves and others by causing car accidents.
Tailgating
Tailgating can be a type of low speed collision. If someone is driving slowly down a neighborhood road and there is a person behind them that is driving faster and tailgating the slower driver, an accident can easily occur. Tailgating can cause serious injury without both cars traveling at top speeds.
The car accident attorneys at Lawyers for Justice, PC are especially skilled in handling all types of car accidents and the injuries that stem from them. Call (844) 569-1702 today for a free consultation and to speak with one of our team members.
