September 30, 2020March 29, 2021 1302 Super

Common Car Accidents to Watch Out For

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With the top down, the wind in your hair, and the sun shining, sometimes there’s nothing better than going for a drive.

But even the most careful and cautious of drivers can get in the car accidents. With millions of cars on the road, common car accidents can happen quickly and without warning. Whether you’re stuck in traffic, driving through your neighborhood, sitting in a parking lot, or driving on a side road, car accidents come in many different forms and can occur at any time.

There are many types of common car accidents and even though you want to try to avoid car accidents at all costs, here are some common ones that you may see your experience and your travels:

Rollover Accidents

Vehicle rollover accidents are classified as common car accidents, but they can be very complex and sometimes violent. The name is just what it sounds like: a situation where your vehicle ends up rolling over due to one factor or a combination of factors. Compared to other types of common car accidents, rollover accidents are a combination of environmental factors, vehicle factors, road factors, and driving habits. Data is shown that a great number of car accident fatalities come as a result of rollover accidents.

Single Car Accidents

These are very common car accidents that happen when only one vehicle is involved. Single car accidents can include roll overs, collisions with debris, collisions with animals such as car-deer collisions, and off-road collisions. You may even require commercial garage door repairs if you happen to have an accident in your driveway.

Rear-End Collisions

This happens quite frequently and is often a traffic accident where a vehicle crashes into the vehicle in front of it. Many rear end collisions are the result of drivers being distracted or stopping suddenly due to panic. Any driver’s safety course will tell you that the best course of action is to allow yourself five to 10 seconds of space between you and the next car so you don’t end up having to break when it’s too late and ending up in a car accident.

Head-On Collisions

These common car accidents are exactly what they sound like as well: an accident where the front ends of two vehicles hit each other from opposite directions. These accidents are often fatal and can also be the result of drivers being distracted, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Side Impact Collisions

If you’ve ever heard of a car being T-boned, this is exactly what a side impact collision is; where the side of one or more vehicles is impacted due to colliding with another car. If you drive through busy intersections in the city or in parking lots, these types of collisions can occur there.

Avoiding Accidents

So now that you’ve heard about many types of common car accidents, you might be wondering, what can I do to avoid getting in a car accident? The simple answer is to be responsible behind the wheel, be aware of your surroundings, and be consistent about automotive maintenance, but here are some tips for avoiding car accidents all together:

Don’t Assume Anything

Chances are you probably heard the old cliche about what happens when one assumes something. That old adage holds up when you’re driving as well. You should never assume anything, especially when it comes to the actions of another driver. Don’t just assume they’re going to stop at a red light or a stop sign or turn when they’re supposed to turn. Even if it looks like they might stop, you never know when a driver might decide to try to push their way through a red light and get into a car accident. The best thing you can do is control your actions and be aware of your surroundings, while also driving cautiously.

Keep Your Car In Good Shape

Another easy way to avoid common car accidents is to make sure that your car is in tip-top shape when you’re on the road. It’s estimated that the average consumer spends roughly $400 annually on car diagnostics, scheduled maintenance, and tune-ups and it’s well worth it. Spending money means making sure your tires are in good shape, getting oil changes when you’re supposed to, and taking care of any other concerns you might have about your vehicle, including fluid checks, or headlight brightness, or even the condition of your brakes. Bye avoiding car maintenance, you might be driving on borrowed time and you might only be moments away from an accident, even if you’re just going your local grocery store to pick up a few items. Take some pride in your vehicle and make sure that it’s working properly to avoid accidents.

On average, it costs about $40 to go have an oil change, tire rotation, and fluid check done at your local dealership or an auto repair shop. This ensures that all your fluids are at the necessary levels and you won’t get any surprises while you’re on the road telling you you’re running low on gas or that your oil or power steering fluid is low.

Don’t Drive At Night

Let’s face it, sometimes we have to drive at night whether when we might want to or not. Obviously, daytime driving is preferable because you can’t see as well at night time. But even if you think your eyes are very good, driving at nighttime is very difficult and the risk of getting in the car accidents is higher. You have reduced visibility at night, you may have decreased reaction time if you’re driving while you’re tired and you are at risk of a car accident injury.

Don’t Drive Distracted

Anybody who drives a car today has a lot of bells and whistles inside their vehicle from Bluetooth connectivity to GPS to using a cell phone. But just because you have all the cool stuff in your car doesn’t mean you should use it while you’re driving. While you’re driving, you need to give 100% of your attention to the road. Unless it’s an emergency, that phone call back to a loved one or a friend can wait. The same thing goes for a text message. If you absolutely need to talk to or text someone, find somewhere to pull over safely and take care of business before you get back on the road.

Taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds can have potentially disastrous consequences. Think about the last time you might have fiddled with the radio while you were driving, or reached into the backseat to grab a snack. While you were distracted did your car veer a little bit to the left or the right? If it did, that’s a prime example of how just a few seconds can alter your path on the road. If you need to get anything, have a passenger grab it for you, or stop and grab all you need before continuing on your journey.

Beware of Your Blind Spots

When you’re driving, you need to make sure that your mirrors are in the correct position because you need to be able to see. That being said, you cannot put all of your faith in your mirrors because you have a blind spot on either side of your car. If you need to change lanes or if you need to merge onto an expressway, you need to quickly turn around and check your blind spots before you merge so you don’t pull out in front of somebody. Ignoring your blind spots is a surefire way to end up in a car accident. As you’re driving, you also want to make sure that you stay out of other people’s blind spots so that they don’t potentially hit you.

Dealing with Car Accidents

Try as we might to avoid them, common car accidents happen all the time. No one wants to get into an accident, but if you do, it’s important to know what to do:

Check Yourself

Regardless of what kind of accident you get in, you probably have a thousand thoughts running through your head and are experiencing any number of emotions. As shocking or sudden as your accident maybe, you need to make sure to check yourself for injuries. If you are injured, you need to call 911 right away.

Check On Your Passengers

If your accident occurs with passengers in the car, you need to check on their well-being too. If you’re not too hurt to move, check on them, and if anyone’s injured call 911 immediately or ask somebody nearby for help.

Get to a Safe Place

Whether your car accident occurs in the middle of the busy intersection or on a less crowded highway, if you’re able to move your car, do so and move it off to the side of the road. If you’re unable to move your car, you need to at the very least get yourself and any passengers to safety.

Call 911

As you have read, there many types of common car accidents and whether you’re in a minor fender bender or major collision, you absolutely need to call the police. In many cases, it’s legally required that you call 911 after a car accident. The police officers on the scene will fill out an accident report and document what happened. If you have to file a claim with your car insurance company in the aftermath of a car accident, most companies are going to require a police report, which is why you need to call 911 when an accident occurs.

Seek Legal Advice

If you get into an accident where someone else is at fault, you might want to consider consulting with legal counsel to discuss your options.

With an automotive repair shop to fix any damage to your car, sometimes accidents can be life-altering and you may be entitled to compensation if you file a lawsuit.

By consulting with a lawyer you can better understand all the options you have and determine whether or not you have a winnable case. If you’ve got hefty medical bills as a result of car accident injuries, you can get a settlement that can help you adjust to your new normal, especially if you require physical therapy or chiropractic care to help manage any pain related to the incident.

Look to the Future

Even if you’re not seriously injured in a car accident, there’s a good chance that your car is going to be in a state of disrepair. So what can you do? If you’re looking for a new car, you can find some great deals shopping through a local used car dealer. Odds are you can find a newer model car for a great price that’s probably similar to what you were driving before at an affordable price.

In the event that your current car can be repaired, file a claim with your insurance company and then check with a local car repair service. Your insurance company may have a pre-approved list of repair or collision shops they work with, but odds are you can go to any of them and then have the shop bill your insurance company.

Be Smart

By being conscious of your surroundings and smart about your choices on the road, you can avoid common car accidents and enjoy your time on the road instead. Driving can be very therapeutic and calming, but by being careless and making bad choices, you’ll stress yourself out.

Being smart also means making good choices if you happen to be involved in an accident. In the event you are involved in an accident of any kind, check yourself and others for injuries, move your vehicle to a safe place if you can, and call the police. They can help you sort everything out at the scene of the accident and ensure that you have all the information you need to file a claim with your insurance company to get your car fixed or get a new car altogether.