One of the factors that can impact the severity of an auto accident is the type of crash. Some situations increase the likelihood of serious injuries and death.
Travelers explains there certain common types of car accidents or impacts that may occur in a crash.
Rear-end impacts
A rear-end accident involves one vehicle hitting another from the back. This typically happens when the vehicle in front stops for some reason suddenly or the car following does not realize the car in front is already stopped on the roadway. The most common reason for this type of impact is the rear car is following the lead car too closely, but sometimes the car in front is at fault for stopping suddenly without warning.
Single vehicle crashes
Collisions with two or more vehicles may seem like the most common and severe types of crashes, but single-vehicle accidents happen just as often. Usually, the cause is driver error. This could be falling asleep behind the wheel, misjudging a curve, not paying attention to the road or not reacting correctly to something in the roadway. Many times these are easily avoidable by driving the speed limit, obeying road signs and staying alert.
Intersection collisions
Intersections are one of the most dangerous areas on a road. While you may assume everyone will follow the rules, such as obeying stoplights and signs, it is not uncommon for someone to blow through a red light or a stop sign and cause a terrible collision. You should never assume other cars will stop. Do not blindly trust signals. Always look before you begin to move.
There are many other types of crashes, such as head-on collisions, but these are a few of the ones that happen the most. Being aware of the types of crashes can help you to better avoid them.