With more cars than ever on United States roadways, car accidents are a constant concern for many Americans. Although some collisions are unavoidable, the overwhelming majority of car accidents are caused by driver negligence, and therefore completely preventable.
Cars are continually manufactured to be safer and more reliable with every passing year, but the rate of fatal vehicle accidents continues to grow. According to a fact sheet printed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 13 auto accidents take place every minute nationwide. In 2020, the National Safety Council reported that these accidents cost the economy about $474 billion in that same year, up from $340 billion in 2019.
If you were seriously injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you might be eligible to collect compensation. Local Accident Reports can put you in touch with experienced car accident attorneys in your area who specialize in personal injury claims. Call us today to schedule your free consultation.
Most Common Kinds of Car Accidents
Although every car accident is different, there are patterns relating to driver behavior and how they occur. According to statistical data, the following types of car accidents are the most common:
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are usually caused by drivers who are following too closely or not paying attention to their surroundings. When a driver fail
s to keep enough distance between them and the vehicle in front of them in traffic, then the rear driver will not have the space and time needed to brake safely and avoid any rear-
end accidents if traffic ahead suddenly stops. Fatigued driving, drunk driving, and distracted driving are all frequent contributors to rear-end accidents.
While the driver of the rear vehicle usually causes the collision by driving too close to the vehicle in front, they are not always to blame for rear-end
accidents. The driver in the front vehicle could be at fault if they suddenly stopped in an active lane of traffic or backed up for no reason. This is especially true in parking lot collisions.
Regardless of the number of vehicles involved, rear-end collision injuries can range from the trivial to catastrophic. Even at slow speeds, rear-end collision victims are prone to serious injuries such as spinal cord damage, neck injuries, and broken bones.
Head-On Collisions
Although they are less common than other kinds of car crashes, head-on collisions often lead to fatal accidents. Since the vehicles are traveling toward one another, the force of impact is multiplied. As a result, head-on collisions are far more likely to cause serious or even fatal injuries than other kinds of car accidents.Common contributing factors in head-on collisions include drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding, reckless driving, and driver fatigue.
Side-Impact Accidents and Intersection Accidents
Side-impact accidents take place when one vehicle strikes another at a perpendicular or 90-degree angle. Due to the shape the vehicles make when they collide, these are often referred to as T-bone or intersection accidents. A side-impact or intersection accident is extremely dangerous for those in the struck vehicle. The side of a vehicle has a lot less bulk across which to disperse the impact than the front or back of a vehicle.Side-impact accidents are most often the result of other vehicles disregarding traffic lights or traffic signs, failing to stop at intersections, or failing to yield the right of way. If a driver who is reckless, impaired, or distracted causes a side-impact crash, they can be held liable for the injuries and damages sustained by others.
Sideswipe Collisions
Sideswipe collisions happen when two vehicles are moving parallel to each other, and the side of one vehicle strikes the side of the other. Drivers who fail to properly check their blind spots before changing lanes or merging often cause sideswipe accidents.Sideswipe collisions are hazardous because the impact often results in one or both drivers losing control of their vehicles and leaving the roadway or veering into another lane of traffic. The out of control vehicles could strike other vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, or stationary objects. The injuries from sideswipe accidents can be severe, especially when there is a secondary impact after the initial crash. Sideswipe accidents are most often caused by driver impairment, recklessness, speeding, and drivers not paying attention.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
Single-vehicle crashes are incredibly common. Single-vehicle accidents typically result from a driver colliding with something in the path of their vehicle, such as dropped freight, an animal, or debris in the road from another vehicle. Single-vehicle crashes can happen when a roadway hazard forces a vehicle to leave the roadway, where it could strike a guard rail, utility pole, or other obstacles.Depending on where the collision takes place, the vehicle could fall into a ditch or overturn. Although these collisions only involve a single vehicle, the injuries that single-vehicle crashes cause can be serious if the vehicle rolls over or hits a large, heavy object.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents
Accidents involving two or more vehicles are often catastrophic. The entanglement of multiple vehicles means there are more people involved, and therefore more injuries. It also means there are more auto insurance policies that might be available to supply financial compensation to the victims. Multi-vehicle accidents are usually caused by rear-end collisions or chain-reaction accidents. When one vehicle is lodged between two or more vehicles, the occupants of the middle vehicle can sustain catastrophic injuries.Establishing fault for car crashes involving multiple vehicles can be difficult. More than one driver could be at fault and it gives the insurance company a lot of chances to shift the blame. It is vital to work with an experienced car accident attorney if you were injured in a multi-vehicle accident.
Rollover Accidents
A wide range of circumstances can cause a vehicle rollover accident, which is very likely to cause life-threatening injuries. The amount of force exerted on anyone inside the rolling vehicle can easily inflict severe injuries. Rollover accidents frequently result in vehicle fires due to spilled cargo or spilled fuel igniting, which can cause further injuries or be deadly should the vehicle explode. It is not uncommon in a rollover accident for drivers and passengers to be ejected from the vehicle, leading to fatalities or catastrophic injuries. Common causes of vehicle rollover accidents are speeding, inattentive driving, impaired driving, drowsy driving, entering the shoulder, and objects or vehicles forcing others off the roadway.
Blind Spot Crashes
Every merging driver is supposed to check their blind spots before they change lanes, but not everyone always does. When a driver fails to properly check their blind spots, they can easily crash into another car and cause a blind spot crash. Failing to check blind spots before merging or changing lanes is the number one cause of sideswipe accidents in the United States. Motorcycles and small vehicles can easily vanish in the blind spot of a bigger vehicle changing lanes. Due to their small size, motorcycles are particularly vulnerable to blind spot crashes. Commercial trucks, such as tractor-trailers, have blind spots that are proportionally larger than the average vehicle, making them a serious threat to other drivers. Depending on the angle of impact, speed of the vehicles involved, and several other factors, blind spot motor vehicle crashes can lead to substantial injuries, especially if cyclists or pedestrians are involved.
Low-Speed Accidents
Even at comparatively low speeds, a 3,000-pound sedan or a 6,000-pound SUV can create a significant amount of force upon impact. Bicycle riders and pedestrians are extremely vulnerable to serious injuries and death when struck by a vehicle. Where low-speed accidents are concerned, the angle of impact has more to do with any resulting injuries than the speed at which the vehicle was traveling.
Merging Accidents
Merging into a lane of heavy traffic can be challenging for even the most skilled drivers. Merging accidents commonly happen when drivers attempt to merge without matching the speed of traffic or checking their blind spots.In some situations, other drivers can be liable for a merging accident if they sped up to cut in front of another driver trying to merge on a roadway. Merging accidents usually take place at higher speeds, so the injuries that victims sustain are typically quite serious.
How Common Are Car Accidents?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s annual vehicle crash report, which focuses on fatal accidents, is put together by the government. NHTSA’s figures show that, in 2021, there were more than 42,900 fatal car accidents. This number represents an increase of 10.5% since 2020. 2021 has the highest recorded number of vehicular fatalities since 2005 and the single largest leap in year to year car accident deaths since the inception of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. One seemingly logical hypothesis regarding this huge percentage increase is that fewer people were driving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once life began returning to somewhat normal in 2021, it stands to reason that more car accidents took place.
Vulnerable Demographics
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the number one cause of death for Americans between 1 and 54 years of age. There are, however, some demographics, such as teenage drivers, that are more likely than others to be involved in a fatal collision.
Male vs. Female Accident Statistics
Male vs. Female Accident Statistics- Almost every year from 1975 to 2020, there have been two male car accident-related deaths for every female accident-related death.
- Men tend to drive more miles in an average year than women. Men are more likely to participate in dangerous driving behaviors such as not wearing seat belts, speeding, and driving while drunk.
- Every year from 1982 to 2020, speeding was a factor in more auto accidents with male drivers than female drivers.
Crash Data by Age of Driver
- Teen drivers between 16 and 19 years old are more likely to be involved in a car crash than any other age group.
- Teenage drivers only account for around 5% of all licensed drivers in the U.S. In 2020, however, they comprised 8.5% of fatal car accidents.
- The vehicle collision rate per 100,000 drivers gradually declines as drivers age. Once they reach about 75 years old, the crash rates begin to rise again.
What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?
Car accidents cause a range of injuries from minor to fatal. Sometimes directly after a wreck, you may not realize how injured you actually are. It’s very important to get checked out by a doctor immediately after any car wreck you are involved in, because there may be injuries that you don’t feel due to the mask of adrenaline from enduring the trauma of a car wreck. The other reason you should always get medical care immediately is so that there is documentation in case you end up needing to file a personal injury lawsuit later.Back and Head InjuriesBack and head injuries are some of the most serious and difficult to recover from. They include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury is a brain dysfunction caused by an outside force, such as a blow to the head. TBIs often occur in rear-end collisions when the victim’s head strikes the steering wheel, dashboard, or window, or their neck lashes forward on impact. Some cases of TBI can be fairly mild and adequately treated at home. Unfortunately, that isn’t usually the case.Traumatic brain injuries can have long-term or permanent effects, such as brain damage, and they are not always easy to detect. In cases of traumat
ic brain injury, immediate medical care is vital to the victim’s recovery.
Concussions
Concussions are a very specific kind of traumatic brain injury. Even though they are sometimes referred to as mild brain injuries, they still require medical intervention in order to heal properly.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are another common car accident injury that requires immediate medical attention. Spinal cord injuries can be incomplete, leaving the victim with some sensation below the injury, or complete, leaving the victim with absolutely no sensation below the injury point. It is understandable how people might assume that you would notice a spinal cord injury right away, but that isn’t always the case. A serious condition, such as paralysis, might happen instantly, but it could also take time to appear. If there is even the slightest chance that you sustained a spinal injury, let responding paramedics know as quickly as possible or go to the emergency room immediately after your car accident.
Facial Injuries
Car accident victims commonly experience facial injuries. These injuries are usually noticeable right away, but not always. Some examples of common facial injuries include:
- Permanent scarring
- Disfigurement
- Bleeding
- Contusions
- Lacerations
- Broken bones
- Damage to eyes or orbital sockets
Chest and Neck Injuries
Injuries to the chest and neck are common in car accidents. The additional forward momentum generated by the impact, particularly in rear-end collisions, can cause contusions, lacerations, and other injuries due to impact with the steering wheel or the restraint of the seatbelt. Chest injuries, medically referred to as thoracic trauma, can cause serious injury and even death, so it is important to have them examined as soon as possible.
Bruised or Broken Ribs
Injuries involving the rib cage often take place during car accidents. These injuries can vary from mild bumps and bruises to several broken bones. It is not always possible to ascertain the full extent of any damage to the rib cage immediately after a car accident. Even though broken ribs tend to heal on their own, they often cause secondary injuries, such as puncturing internal organs or blood vessels. If you are experiencing chest pain after a car accident, inform the paramedics or emergency room staff so they can accurately pinpoint the cause and prevent a potentially serious injury.
Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the leading car accident injuries, especially in rear-end collisions. Whiplash occurs when a victim’s neck is suddenly jolted forward or backward with a great deal of force. The weight of the head puts a heavy strain on the neck muscles. Most people who experience whiplash in a car accident are able to recover in just a few weeks. For others, however, it can cause serious damage and recovery could take several months or even longer. A whiplash injury can also be the result of faulty airbag deployment.
Heart Attack
The stress and tension that often accompany a car accident can be enough to trigger a cardiac event in some people. In the aftermath of a serious accident, however, a heart attack might not be as noticeable as you think, especially compared to some other injuries. Let responding police or paramedics know right away if you think you might be having a heart attack.Drivers and passengers who are 65 and older are more susceptible to strokes and heart attacks in the weeks after a car accident. It is important to seek medical care if you are feeling poorly in the days and weeks following your accident.
Soft-Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries happen when overuse or trauma occurs to the ligaments, tendons, or muscles. These injuries are extremely common following a serious car accident.
Strains and Sprains
Strains and sprains are similar injuries that frequently take place during car accidents. A strain happens inside the tissue or muscle that connects to a bone. A sprain happens between the two bones of a joint like an elbow or knee. Strains and sprains are usually far less serious than other accident-related injuries, but they should always be taken seriously.
Bruising
Bruising is another extremely common car accident injury. Most bruises will heal on their own, but it is possible to sustain a bruise that is so severe it endangers your health. If your chest is punctured or struck too hard, it is possible for it to bruise your heart, which could result in long-term or permanent damage.
Extremity Injuries
Injuries to the extremities of the body happen regularly during car accidents. There are a few different ways you can injure your arms and legs.
Broken Bones
Automobile accidents often leave their victims with broken bones. While some broken bones will be immediately obvious, others may not be. In fact, you might not even realize that you have a broken bone until well after the accident.
Dislocated joints
Joint dislocation happens when the two bones that form the joint separate. Joint dislocations tend to make themselves known right away, but can occasionally be overlooked or misdiagnosed in the confusion that follows a car accident. Joint pain could suggest a dislocation, even if the joint does not look physically damaged.
Traumatic Amputations
Catastrophic car accidents can result in the loss of a limb. An amputation could be caused by the accident itself or due to medical complications further down the road. Losing a limb during or after a car accident is a serious injury that demands prompt medical attention.
Seek Experienced Legal Help Following a Car Accident
If you were injured in a car accident, you might be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and other damages. Local Accident Reports can put you in touch with reputable car accident attorneys in your area who specialize in personal injury claims. They can review your case in a free consultation and help you move forward with your life.
How to Avoid Car Accidents
The genuinely troubling thing about motor vehicle accidents is that most of them could be easily avoided if people would simply obey traffic laws. Although you cannot force other drivers to exercise due care when they are on the roadway, there are still some steps you can take to prevent a serious car accident.
- Avoid distractions: Distracted driving is the number one cause of car crashes in the United States. Whether you are just heading across town or driving across the country, you should always avoid distractions when you are behind the wheel. Avoid any activity that takes your focus off the road, such as making phone calls, sending text messages, and attempting to locate dropped objects.
- Monitor your blind spots: Before you pull out onto the roadway, always ensure that your mirrors are properly adjusted and that you are able to see all around you as much as possible. Never depend solely on your mirrors. Drivers should physically turn their heads and look to make sure that no vehicles are in their blind spots. Commercial trucks have enormous blind spots so always give them a wide berth and never assume that they have seen you.
- Be extra cautious when driving at night: In 2020, almost 30% of all motor vehicle accidents took place at night. Once the sun starts to set, you are more likely to come across drivers who are under the influence. Many people also experienced reduced visibility due to difficulties seeing at night, which can lead to head-on collisions. You should always be careful when you are behind the wheel, but this is especially true at night.
- Avoid the left lane: Convenient though it may be, when you need to exit the highway quickly or avoid a vehicle that is driving erratically, the left hand lane can become very dangerous, very quickly. When you use the right or center lane, it is much easier to respond to an emergency or make your exit. The left lane is where you will find motorists who like to speed and are more prone to causing accidents.
Talk to an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you are seeking legal advice after being injured in a motor vehicle accident, reach out to Local Accident Reports today to be put in touch with skilled car accident attorneys in your area who have extensive experience in filing personal injury claims. Call us at (888) 657-1460.
