No matter how advanced our cars get, accidents are bound to happen. As it turns out, many of them happen the same way. Being aware of these common accidents is key for staying safe while driving. That way, you know what extra steps to take to avoid them altogether…
Common Accidents: Frequent Collisions
Front-impact
One of the most common accidents are front-end ones. In fact, front-end accidents made up 54% of serious crashes in 2016. These are when the front of your car impacts another car’s front while on the road. They can also occur if you hit something on the side of the road, such as a tree, sign, or pole.
Usually, these accidents occur due to slippery road conditions. When the roads become slippery, it’s a lot harder to keep control over your car. As such, you should always take it slow when the roads are bad. Remember to also avoid any distractions, such as your cell phone, when you’re behind the wheel as well.
Side-impact
Other common accidents include side-impact ones. These tend to either be a “T-bone” accident, or a sideswipe. The former is usually what happens when someone doesn’t know who has the right of way at an intersection. As for the latter, they tend to occur when two cars are driving parallel in different lanes, and one drifts over too much and hits the other.
Defensive driving is important for avoiding side-impact accidents. For T-bone accidents, always double-check before you go through an intersection, and don’t try and speed through yellow lights. As for sideswipes, be sure you double-check your blind spots regularly, especially if you’re about to change lanes.
Rear-end
As you’d expect, rear-end collisions are pretty common accidents. This type of accident is when one driver hits the rear-end of another driver’s car. Generally, these tend to occur in heavy traffic when someone is driving either too fast or aggressively. This means they can’t react to the car stopping or slowing ahead of them and end up hitting them.
Being cautious of speed and distance are crucial for avoid rear-end collisions. This will ensure that you have plenty of time to slow down and stop when they do. If you have someone tailgating you, the safest thing is to try and move over into the right lane and let them pass. While it can be annoying, it’s a lot better than ending up in an accident!