There are many different potential threats when you get behind the wheel of your vehicle and roll out onto the road. There might be a distraction to another driver, which can cause a crash. Someone ahead of you in traffic might slam on the brakes suddenly, or rough weather can cause poor visibility and vehicular accidents. You should be aware of the different kinds of car accidents that exist and how to avoid them. Being a safe driver is about being prepared for as many eventualities as possible.
The Chain Reaction Accident
Chain reaction accidents can be among the most lethal of all vehicular collisions. Your involvement in one might lead to you calling a Corpus Christi car accident lawyer if the accident happened in that part of the country. The chain reaction car accident:
- Happens often on the highway, but can also take place on local roads
- Is more likely to happen when there isn`t sufficient spacing between vehicles
With this sort of accident, one car might hit another. Then, cars coming up will strike either of the first two vehicles. This can lead to catastrophic pileups on the highway, with many injuries.
There are two ways to try and avoid this sort of accident. The first is to reduce your speed. If you`re going the speed limit, you have a better chance of stopping in time if this happens in front of you.
The other thing to do is not tailgate the car ahead of you. Defensive driving means keeping sufficient distance between yourself and other vehicles. You should never ride another vehicle`s bumper, or this might happen.
The Single-Car Accident
It would seem that getting into an accident when there aren`t any other cars around would be challenging. It happens more than you might think, though. These accidents can occur:
- If you`re talking on the phone while driving
- If you`re adjusting the car`s temperature or the radio station
- If you`re talking with someone in the vehicle and not paying attention to the road
- If an animal jumps out in front of the car unexpectedly
A single-car accident might involve running the car off the road, into a divider, or into a ditch. The way to avoid them is to pay attention to the road and not to allow any distractions.
If your focus is anywhere else besides the road ahead, that is the perfect recipe for a single-car accident.
The Sideswipe
Sideswiping another vehicle most often happens when a driver tries to change lanes, and they don`t notice a car beside them. That vehicle being in their blind spot is the most common reason this takes place.
The way you can avoid it is to check your blind spot whenever you are about to switch lanes. Some vehicles come with blind-spot detection now, which comes in handy in this regard. It will let you know via a visual or an auditory alarm when a car or other large object is in your blind spot.
The Broadside Collision
Some people refer to the broadside car accident as a T-bone, named after the T-bone steak. One car is driving in one direction, while another vehicle drives at them from the side and strikes them squarely.
This kind of car accident often occurs when a driver sees that there is a changing traffic light and drives through a red signal. The other driver likely will not have the reaction time to get out of the way.
This is also one of the car accident types that has a high fatality rate. That is because if you hit a vehicle broadside with your car, you might make solid contact with the driver or the other passengers. If you are driving with enough speed, that kind of collision can easily kill or severely injure someone.
To avoid this type of accident, never try to run a light that is about to turn red. Wait at the intersection for the next green light.
Also, don`t ever drive while drunk or if you have ingested drugs. These kinds of accidents also take place with reckless or impaired drivers. Be a responsible driver, and don`t ever get on the road if you aren`t in the right condition to operate a vehicle.
There are many types of car accidents, but there`s never a good result from any of them. Driving only when you`re sober, not getting distracted, and driving defensively means that you`ll avoid most of them.
