Types of Car Accidents – Part 1
Automobile accidents in Florida occur regularly, some more serious than others. In this series, we take a brief look at the several types of accidents that typically occur. If you or a loved one has been injured, due to the fault of another, contact our car accident attorneys for a free case evaluation.
Types of Car Accidents
Statistics reveal that more than two million Americans are involved in car accidents each year. Out of that number, more than 37,000 are killed on impact or die from their injuries.
With these numbers in mind, it is only natural that most drivers today want to do everything possible to avoid being in a wreck. You may protect yourself and your passengers by knowing in what forms car accidents commonly occur on U.S. roadways.
Rear End Collisions
Rear end collisions are among the most common car accidents that occur on the roadways today. This type of wreck involves drivers colliding with the back end of the vehicles in front of them. In many instances, these wrecks are relatively minor, although both vehicles may sustain significant damage and both drivers might suffer injuries like whiplash, cuts, and bruises.
Most states like Florida assign blame for rear-end collisions to the drivers of the cars that collided with the vehicles in front of them. These individuals are at times, responsible for compensating the other driver for expenses like repairs and medical costs. The other driver can make a claim against the responsible driver’s insurance to pursue this money.
Side Impact
Side impact accidents involve one car colliding with or hitting the side of another car. These accidents are sometimes referred to as T-bone wrecks. They are one of the deadliest types of car accidents and can claim the life of the people seated on the side of the car that is hit. If the people survive the accident, they may suffer debilitating or disabling injuries like paralysis.
In fact, statistics show that 13 percent of all car accidents in the U.S. each year are categorized as side impact wrecks. Out of that number, 18 percent are fatal.
These wrecks result in fatalities more so than other types of wrecks because passengers in the car have little to protect them from the impact of the oncoming vehicle. It is easy for a car traveling at high speed to penetrate through the fiberglass door and glass window of the other car.
Sideswipe
A sideswipe car accident is also known as a lane change accident. This type of car wreck is not as deadly as other types of accidents. Out of the more than 200,000 reported each year, about four percent, approximately 1,300 are fatal.
Still, a sideswipe accident can cause significant damage to the car that made the faulty lane change as well as the car that was struck in the wreck. These accidents often happen at speeds that are in excess of 30 miles per hour on city roads and upwards of 70 miles an hour on the highway or interstate. They can result in the impacted car veering into the ditch or median, causing even more damage to the vehicle.
As with a rear-end collision, the police will assign blame to the driver who changed lanes without checking the blind spot and making sure the lane was clear. That person’s insurance may be held responsible for paying the medical and repair costs of the victimized driver.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident due to the fault of another contact our injury law team for a free case evaluation with no obligation whatsoever. Our team is available 24/7, call 800-538-4878 today.
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