What Are Common Causes of Car Accidents?

An accident can be very overwhelming for those involved. You must deal with the stress of healing your injuries while working with a lawyer to try to figure out who was at fault for your accident and whether or not you can receive compensation.

More than likely, your car accident fits the mold of many common car accidents, from rear-end collisions and "t-bone" crashes to head-on collisions and rollovers. The type of accident you were involved in can actually have a huge bearing on just who may be found at fault for your crash. After working with your car accident lawyer and learning more details surrounding your crash, you may find your accident fits the description of one or more common car accidents.

Common Car Accidents on Roadways

Some of the most common car accidents in include: head-on collisions;rollovers;rear-end collisions;side impact collisions (also known as "t-bone" accidents);runoff accidents (the car leaves the roadway); speeding accidents;drunk driving accidents; lane-change accidents; and highway accidents.

Common Car Accidents in Which Liability is Almost Always Automatic

There are several types of common car accidents where the other driver's liability is almost always automatic. This is true when you've been rear-ended. Not only can this type of car accident happen at speeds as low as 5 mph during a traffic jam, but it can also occur at 100 mph on highways. Since it is the duty of all drivers to keep a safe distance from the car in front of them, when other motorists fail to do this, they may be found at fault under most circumstances.

An accident where the other driver was drinking is another type of accident where that driver will likely be at fault. These common but serious car accidents actually led to 377 deadly crashes in 2009 alone, according to numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

When you've been in a car accident with a drunk driver, chances are, you had little to no role in causing the accident, as the other driver was impaired. Since your liability in the accident can potentially impact the compensation you may claim if you've been severely injured, you'll want to work closely with your car accident lawyer to prove what caused your accident.

The Dangers of Common Car Accidents

Just because an accident may be common should not downplay the dangers involved. If you've been seriously injured after a crash, you probably understand this all too well.

Rollover accidents, in which a car flips onto its side or roof, can be particularly devastating, especially when the roof cannot withstand the vehicle's weight and crushes the occupants inside. This type of accident is most likely to occur with larger vehicle, such as a truck or an SUV. It's typically caused when drivers swerve while driving at a high rate of speed.

Another common car accidents that can take place is a runoff. This happens when a car leaves the roadway, increasing the risk the driver will hit trees, street signs, animals and even buildings. You may have been involved in a runoff car accident when another driver hit you, causing you to lose control of the car and leave the safety of the pavement.

This is perhaps one of the most common car accidents because of the state's expanses of rural roadways. In 2009, more than half of the state's 894 fatalities involved a runoff crash.

Regardless of the type of accident you've been involved in, you may have the right to compensation to account for the injuries you have sustained. It is recommended that you seek the help of an attorney as soon as possible after an accident in order to assist you in determining whether you should file a personal injury claim.


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Personal Injury Attorney Shelly Leeke practices accident and injury law in Charleston, South Carolina. She is an attorney, a published author, and founder of the Shelly Leeke Law Firm and can be reached at 888-690-0211 or at LeekeLaw.com. For more information on personal injuries, visit the firm's accident and injury resource library.