There are many different types of crashes that can occur on public roads. Some people end up in collisions involving a non-motorized vehicle, like a bicycle. Some drivers hit pedestrians or wildlife. Other people experience collisions with bigger vehicles, like commercial trucks or school buses. There are also multi-car pileups that can be as devastating as they are unpredictable.
However, the vast majority of reported collisions in the United States every year involved two passenger vehicles colliding in traffic. Even when the basic circumstances of the crash are similar, the outcome can be vastly different depending on the vehicles involved and the type of collision that transpires.
There are four main types of collisions involving two passenger vehicles, and one of them is responsible for far more fatalities than any other type.
What crashes are the most dangerous?
Many people think of head-on collisions as the deadliest type of crash. They know that such wrecks can leave vehicles completely unsafe to drive while creating so much momentum that people end up thrown from their vehicles. However, vehicle manufacturers have had decades to develop safety systems that work in head-on collisions. Such crashes only account for 29.6% of the reported traffic fatalities each year.
Rear-end collisions are even less likely to result in occupant fatalities. They account for only 17.3% of all fatalities in traffic. The least dangerous type of collision is the sideswipe and any other type of minor collision, which accounts for 8.2% of collision deaths.
According to the National Safety Council’s (NSC’s) analysis of collision data, angle crashes, like T-bone collisions, are the deadliest type of wreck possible. Many vehicles do not have side-impact airbags or other safety systems to protect occupants in a side-impact scenario.
According to the NSC, 44.9% of all traffic fatalities occur in angle collisions. Countless people develop injuries in crashes that do not produce fatal injuries. The type of crash may affect not just the severity of the outcome but also the claims process afterward. A thorough analysis of the collision may be necessary to hold the other motorist accountable.
Understanding the challenges that may arise after a car crash and what types of wrecks are the riskiest can help people optimize their safety in traffic. Those negatively affected by collisions may need help seeking compensation from the party at fault for a crash, and that’s okay.