When it comes to car accidents, many different scenarios can unfold. Some are more severe than others and can lead to various injuries. Front-impact collisions account for the majority of fatal car crashes. Other crash types include sideswipes, T-bone collisions, and multi-car accidents.
Multi-Car Accident
A multi-car accident is a car crash involving more than two vehicles. These are often referred to as “pile-ups.” This type of accident is very common on highways when drivers cannot maneuver their cars around an object in the roadway or another vehicle that suddenly stops. While this crash type accounts for less than half of all motor vehicle fatalities, it makes up many injuries and crashes. Multi-car accidents can include:
- Rear-ending collisions (in which the driver in the back of a car collides with the vehicle in front of them).
- Head-on collisions.
- Side-impact crashes where one driver hits the side of another driver’s car.
Determining who was at fault in a collision involving several vehicles might be challenging. Liability can be established using the law and the evidence with the aid of an expert car accident attorney.
Rear-End Collision
Even though rear-end crashes are frequently referred to as “fender benders,” the injuries they cause can be very serious. According to Newton’s First Law of Motion, all objects (including cars and their occupants) move constantly in the same direction until an external force causes them to stop or change their course. Most rear-end collisions occur when the car in front slows down or stops, but they can also occur at higher speeds, particularly in motorway traffic. The most common cause of these accidents is tailgating. Still, they can also be caused by distractions such as eating, rubbernecking, talking on the phone, adjusting the radio, using a mobile device, or speeding. Occupants in the vehicle’s back seat in front are at particular risk of serious injury from a rear-end crash. They may sustain head trauma, lacerations, broken bones, or spine or brain injuries.
Sideswipe Collision
While they may seem less severe than rear-end collisions, sideswipe crashes can lead to serious and debilitating injuries. It is especially true if you drive a larger vehicle like an SUV.
Under Vehicle & Traffic Law, drivers must keep their cars within their travel lanes unless they are preparing to move into another lane and have first ascertained that the movement can be done safely. When a driver neglects this duty and leaves their route, they can force their car into the vehicle in front of them or even into a barrier, pole, or guardrail. The majority of sideswipe collisions are caused by irresponsible drivers who fail to check their blind spots or peek at the road in front of them before changing lanes. You suffered losses and injuries due to the duty violation and should be made whole. This type of accident is often difficult to prove, but the location and damage on both vehicles can provide clues.
T-Bone Collision
T-bone crashes are characterized by the front of one vehicle smashing into the side of another, forming a letter “T.” These accidents happen most often at intersections, where drivers cross paths frequently. Typically, someone makes a left turn against traffic or runs a red light while exercising bad judgment and broadsides another driver. These accidents can be complicated to pin down the cause of, as it is not uncommon for witnesses to disagree on who has the right-of-way or for physical evidence at the scene to be ambiguous. The most common reasons for T-bone accidents include:
- Need to heed road signs and traffic signals.
- Speeding.
- Running a red light.
- Failing to yield the right of way.
T-bone accidents are among the most severe types of car accidents, causing serious injuries to occupants. These injuries include fractures to the tibia/fibula and ulnar/radius, internal damage, whiplash, and death. Injury victims are entitled to financial assistance for their pain and suffering, medical costs lost wages, and future earning potential.