Auto Accidents: Most Common Types, Causes, and How to Avoid Them

Auto accidents can happen anyway, anytime in various locations and scenarios. You can be sitting in a traffic jam, waiting on the roadside, driving inside your neighborhood, or even parked in front of your house. Depending on why and how the accident took place, there will always be a casualty. It may result in a damaged vehicle or an injured person who is in or near during the occurrence.

No one likes getting involved in such incidents. We gathered useful information about auto accidents that will help readers understand the common types and causes of auto accidents, plus how to avoid them.

 

Types of Auto Accidents

There are five common types of auto accidents:

1- Single Car Accident

It is an auto accident that happens on the road where only one vehicle gets involved in a bump or crash. Usual scenarios for this type of car accidents are rollovers, collisions with an animal or a human, run-off-road accidents, and accidents involving fallen debris.

2- Rear-End Collision 

This type involves two or more vehicles where one crashes to the one in its front. It commonly happens during sudden stops, driver’s inattention, and ineffective traction due to unfavorable weather conditions.

3- Side-Impact Collision

It is popularly coined as T-bone collisions or broadside accidents. One or more vehicles might be involved in this type of accident where the result can range from moderate to severe depending on the strength of impact and the side where it happened. Typical locations where the side-impact collision occurs include intersections and roadways.

4- Head-On Collision

It is where the frontages of two cars crash into each other while coming from two different directions. More often, this type of vehicular accident causes fatality with the passengers. 

5- Vehicular Rollover

It is the type of car crash seen in movies. Only, in real life, they are more violent and scarier when experienced. In a vehicular rollover, several factors are at play, which includes the condition of the driver, vehicle, road, weather, and traffic. While these are the main factors, other points, such as the speed, terrain, and alcohol influence add to why these accidents happen. According to research, about 85% of rollover deaths are from single-vehicle disasters.

 

Common Causes of Auto Accidents

Unfortunately, the top causes of auto accidents are all preventable. You can often see people, even those you know, including family, friends, and acquaintances, do these things, but most brush them off because nothing serious happened. Right? Well, at least for now. 

Here are the five most common reasons for vehicular accidents that you should not do while on the road.

• Distracted Driving

While there are lots of other causes of accidents, distracted driving has always been top of the list. Inattention or loss of focus happens when:

• • You are talking or texting on your phone.
  • You are trying to tell your kids to stop fighting in the backseat.
  • You are shifting radio stations from one to another.
  • You are looking for something that fell on your car floor.
  • You are thinking of something that you forgot to do at home or work.
  • And a lot more.

There are hundreds of things that can serve as distractions to anyone. It is critical for any person who is behind the wheel. Therefore, full and undivided attention is a must when you are driving. DO NOT USE YOUR PHONE while driving – be it texting or calling. If you need to talk to your kids in the backseat, park your car somewhere safe before looking back. Also, make sure that you have prepared everything that you need before starting your engine to leave, including your favorite radio station, things, etc. 

• Reckless Driving

Reckless driving, including speeding and intentional swerving, is next on the top causes. High speed driving more results in worse damage when involved in a collision. Why? It is because drivers have very little to no time to react when something goes wrong. Speeding may also be due to impatience or anger. 

Keep in mind that going faster than you used to be will not guarantee you to arrive earlier to your destination. Moreover, swerving for fun will never be safe as you can hit pedestrians and structures on the streets.

• Drunk Driving

Even with unending news on people getting into accidents due to drunk driving, it still happens every day. So, if you are going to a gathering, an event, or just for relaxation and fun, find a designated driver or take the cab when there is drinking involved. DO NOT go behind the wheel as one mistake can lead to causing injury to yourself and others. If there is no one to drive for you, call a trusted relative or friend to drive you home. Or, better yet, do not drink alcoholic drinks. Save it for the fun later instead.

• Unfavorable Weather Conditions

An unfavorable weather condition, including strong rain and snow, is the only cause that does not involve human intervention. Roads can be slippery or debris can be present roadside, and there might be little to no visibility. Therefore, you should be extra careful when driving in bad weather. After all, no one can control the weather. Right?

• Beating the stop signal

The most common area where accidents occurred over the past decade is the road intersection. It is where vehicles come in four different directions, so when you neglect the stop signal, an accident may happen. Side-impact collision is the most common type of accident that happens because of beating the red signal.

Therefore, ensure to follow traffic rules, especially the signal lights. They are placed in significant places for a purpose, which is to keep traffic safe. Remember:

• GREEN ➯ GO
• YELLOW ➯ SLOW
• RED ➯ STOP

 

Types of Collision Damage and What Auto Technician Do With It

Over the past decade, the number of vehicles on the road continues to rise and there is nothing to stop it. Well, because of it, accidents are bound to happen, which is why auto technicians, who specialize in collision damages and bumper dent repairs, are essential.

Collision damages are unique and depend on the vehicle type and accident scenario. Below are the common types of collision damage and what auto technicians do with it.

Front Collision Damage

According to collision technicians, the front bumper has the most damage during accidents. According to studies, it catches about 28 – 30% of damage from a front-end collision incident. It makes sense as the function of the fender is to be an added protection when your vehicle’s front is hit. Typically, it is the only part of the vehicle that has damage during minor crashes. 

Rear Collision Damage

Another typical damage is rear collision damage. Rear bumpers have about 20% of the damage in a car crash. They function similarly to fenders, which means they also added protection to the car’s overall well-being.

How To Do Front and Rear Bumper Dent Repairs

Fenders and bumpers are the most commonly damaged parts of vehicles involved in accidents and collisions that repair technicians should be prepared to fix. Scratches, dents, cracks, and breaks are the usual types of damages that any vehicle can experience. Minor damage, such as scratches, can be repaired by buffing out with wax, while those deeper and more defined scratches must be covered up using epoxy paint. Repair technicians do the bumper dent repairs for such collisions. They can push out dents, or they use a vacuum-like device to suck out the dents and restore the panel of the vehicles to their original condition.

For such cases as deep cracks, they need to be covered with filler and then painted over to restore the car’s original color. If, for instance, the repair technician sees a significantly wide crack on the panel of any vehicle, that part requires reinforcement with mesh. And then, they filled over the mesh to achieve a sturdy reinforcement. It will then be painted to make the damage look less noticeable. For repairing breaks, the repair approach is almost the same way as cracks, but if the broken damage is severe, the repair technician has no other option but to replace it with a new bumper or fender and install it. 

 

Takeaway Thought

Auto accidents are unfortunate situations. While there is no way to prevent all accidents, there are ways to lower the risk. First, learn and understand all the basics of driving and get a valid driving license. Also, discover the common causes of auto accidents and how to prevent them from happening.

Nevertheless, if the inevitable happened and you got into an accident, make sure to be extra careful next time. You may have your vehicle checked by reputable auto technicians, who specialize in fixing bumper dents and other collision damages.

So, next time you get behind the wheel. Give your full attention. Always remember that you have only one life, and getting into an accident for so many reasons can have you and others around you in harm’s way.