Accidents can happen at any time, but there are some common types of car accidents that you might want to be aware of.

Here are five common types of car accidents and what to do if you’re involved in one:

1. Rear-end collisions

A rear-end collision occurs when one vehicle hits another vehicle from behind. It can happen at any speed and can cause serious injuries or even death in some cases.

Rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accident because they are easy to cause and hard to avoid. If your brakes fail while driving or if you are distracted by something inside or outside of your vehicle, then you may not be able to stop before hitting another vehicle that has stopped in front of you.

Rear-end collisions are often caused by:

• Distracted driving. Distractions such as talking on a cellphone or eating while driving can cause you to react slower than usual and not be able to stop your vehicle in time if there is an obstacle ahead of you.
• Speeding. Speeding increases your chances of being involved in an accident because you will have less time to react when something unexpected happens on the road, like another driver stopping quickly or changing lanes without warning.
• Tailgating. Tailgating makes it more difficult for you to see what’s happening ahead of your vehicle, which increases your risk of rear-ending another driver who might suddenly brake or turn into a lane where you expect them to continue. The driver behind also slows down or stops suddenly, but it’s too late to avoid hitting the vehicle in front.

The force of impact can cause injuries that range from minor aches and pains to serious spinal cord injuries and broken bones. If you’re involved in a rear-end collision in Anaheim, it’s important to know what you should do immediately after the crash just like consulting with a car accident lawyer anaheim. This is especially if you sustained injuries or worse- the death of a loved one.

2. Head-on collisions

When two vehicles collide head-on, the crash is usually fatal for both drivers and passengers. The injuries are particularly severe because the impact forces are perpendicular to the body, causing internal organ damage and bone fractures. The driver’s head can strike the steering wheel or windshield, injuring his or her brain.

Head-on collisions often occur when one driver fails to yield the right of way, such as when one vehicle fails to stop at a stop sign or red light or drives through a flashing yellow traffic light.

Other factors that increase your risk of being involved in a head-on collision include:

• Make a left turn across traffic from the wrong lane or at an intersection
• Fail to yield the right of way at an intersection
• Drive too fast for conditions such as snow or rain
• Drive too fast for conditions such as fog or smoke
• Driving while intoxicated.
• Distracted driving (such as texting while driving).
• Speeding.
• Faulty brakes

3. T-bone accidents (also known as side swipe accidents)

A T-bone accident is when one car strikes another car in the side. T-bone accidents can be caused by a driver who misjudges their speed or the distance between vehicles.

A classic example of this type of accident happens when a driver doesn’t see that they are approaching an intersection and suddenly slams on their brakes to avoid collision with an oncoming vehicle. In many cases, the driver who is trying to avoid hitting another vehicle will end up striking a third vehicle that was also approaching from behind.

The outcomes from T-bone accidents can vary widely depending on the speeds involved and whether any passengers were injured in the crash. In many cases, injury lawyers can help victims recover lost wages, medical expenses and other damages related to this type of accident.

To avoid a T-bone accident:

• Always be alert while driving. You never know what could happen at any moment in traffic and you need to be prepared to react quickly.
• Make sure your mirrors are adjusted so you can see clearly behind your vehicle while driving.
• Maintain your speed and use signals. If someone is following too closely behind you, do not speed up or slow down suddenly to get away from them. This could cause an accident if they do not react fast enough.

4. Rollovers

Rollovers are one of the most dangerous types of car accidents. In fact, rollover fatalities account for about 20% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. A rollover accident occurs when a vehicle rolls over onto its roof or side. They happen when a vehicle loses control and flips over. In a rollover accident, the roof of the car comes into contact with the ground. This puts passengers at risk for serious injury or death because they are ejected from the vehicle and exposed to other dangers such as fire or other vehicles running them over. Rollovers often occur at high speeds and can be caused by unsafe driving practices, such as driving while intoxicated or driving while distracted by texting and driving.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there were 10,591 passenger vehicle occupant deaths in the U.S. in 2017. Of those, 2,922 were single-vehicle crashes, and 1,213 were multi-vehicle collisions. The IIHS also found that 431 people died in single-vehicle rollover crashes and 556 people died in multi-vehicle rollovers.

The following are some factors that can lead to a rollover accident:

• High speeds – When you’re driving too fast, there’s more chance that you’ll lose control of your vehicle, which can cause it to overturn.
• Excessive speed bumps – Speed bumps aren’t just annoying obstacles on your way home; they can also contribute to an accident if you don’t slow down enough before hitting them. The same goes for potholes and other types of road damage that create sudden bumps in your path.
• Bad weather – Rainy conditions make it harder for drivers to see what’s happening on the road ahead of them, causing them to drive faster than normal so they don’t miss their turn off or exit ramp (or worse).

5. Rear tire blowouts

A rear tire blowout occurs when the rubber tread separates from the carcass of the tire. This causes a sudden loss of control and increases your risk for an accident.

Here are some of the most common causes:

• Improper inflation. Tires should be inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure level, which is typically found on a sticker affixed to the driver’s door or door jam. Underinflated tires will wear out more quickly and be more susceptible to damage caused by road hazards. Overinflated tires can also lead to blowouts because they’re more likely to overheat and burst when driven over long distances at high speeds.
• Damaged rims or wheels. When there’s damage to your vehicle’s wheels or rims — whether it’s due to potholes or other road hazards — they may not be able to hold air pressure properly anymore. This can lead to blowouts because your tires won’t have enough support from their rims when you drive them at high speeds for long distances.
• Tire tread separation or cracks in the rubber casing. If there’s damage to your tire’s tread or casing, it won’t provide as much traction against the pavement as it normally would. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle during sudden braking maneuvers — which could result in a rear-end collision with another car.

In an ideal world, we could all travel about the roads without having to worry about these factors, but sometimes accidents do happen. If you are involved in a car accident it is important to know what type of accident you were in so that you and your attorney can determine the best course of action.

Be sure to let us know any other types of car accidents that you have come across in the comments section below!

“Credits to Author Atty. Lem Garcia”

Lem Garcia founded Lem Garcia Law in 2014. It has become one of the fastest-growing and most well-respected personal injury law offices in Southern California, having recovered millions of dollars for clients. He received a journalism degree from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona and loves to share personal injury law with the world via the social media platform TikTok at over 20,000 subscribers.