The state of Pennsylvania reported over 104,000 auto accidents in 2020.
Out of those, over 61,000 people were injured and over 1,100 people died.
You know what everyone says: “accidents happen.” Of course, they do happen — and they are often unavoidable. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t stay safe on the road.
We’re dedicated to your safety. So, make sure you’re prepared before you take your next drive across town. Being prepared includes being aware of the types of car accidents, so we have rounded up a list for you to look at below.
What Types of Car Accidents Are There?
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation identifies seven different types of car accidents to be aware of. They may seem obvious to some, but it is an important topic to review.
Rear-End
This is where someone’s front bumper crashes into the back bumper of another vehicle. The severity of these can vary greatly depending on the speed of each vehicle.
Head-On
This means that someone’s front bumper crashes into another’s front bumper. This is often because one party is driving on the wrong side of the road — or going the wrong way on a one-way street.
Sideswipe
This is when two cars driving next to each other get too close to the lane edges and collide, sidewall to sidewall. A sideswipe can occur no matter what direction both cars are driving in.
Angle
An angle collision is also referred to as a “T-bone” incident. It is defined as occurring at an intersection, so it will typically be the collision of one party’s front bumper into someone else’s sidewall.
Hit Pedestrian
Just as it sounds, this is when a vehicle crashes into a person who is not in or on a vehicle — a pedestrian.
Hit Fixed Object
Once again, this type of car accident is exactly what it sounds like. Examples of things that are commonly hit include mailboxes, road signs, trees, and many others.
Non-Collision
Can a car accident occur without a crash? Scarily enough, it can. Non-collision accidents include things like explosions and sinking underwater, among other things.
What Causes Car Accidents?
Car accidents are called accidents for a reason, but that doesn’t mean that nobody was at fault. There are all sorts of car accident causes.
One could easily argue that all of these causes fall into the category of reckless driving — but the term usually refers to things like speeding, tailgating, and otherwise neglecting road safety laws.
Other common factors include things like intoxication, texting, and other distractions like eating. A moment of attention taken from the road can mean life or death.
What Should I Do in an Accident?
If you find yourself in one of these unfortunate scenarios, do your best to assess the situation.
If you or anyone you can see is hurt, call 911 immediately. If you’re able to safely get out of the car, get out and check your surroundings.
Make sure to take pictures of both involved vehicles before they are moved — you can then send these to your insurance company to help process your claim. Talk to the other driver, ensure that nobody is badly injured, then exchange contact information as well as insurance information.
Even if the accident isn’t severe, you should still contact the local police and report the accident. If nothing else, the report can be useful to your insurance company — which is who you should contact next.
Drive Safely
Now that you have learned about the different types of car accidents, we hope you feel safer and more prepared.
In the event that you find yourself in an accident, just give us a call and know that we’ve got you covered.