The Most Common Kind Of Car Accident

Road accidents are one of the leading causes of death, not only in Australia but also worldwide. Among the many causes of accidents such as high-speeds and drunk driving, distracted driving stands out as the biggest cause of accidents on Australian roads. According to the most popular personal injury lawyers, here are the most common types of accidents that occur on Australian roads:

Nose To Tail Collision

The nose-to-tail collision, also known as rear-end collision, makes up almost 31% of Australia's car accidents. These types of accidents are very dangerous and can also become fatal, especially on highways where the vehicle speeds are high. Most times, rear-end collisions occur when the driver takes their eyes off the road, even for a fraction of a second, and doesn't notice the car in front of them braking. They also occur when the driver doesn't maintain proper distance between their car and the vehicle ahead. You can avoid these accidents if you are a little alert on the road. Don't take your eyes off the road and maintain a safe distance between vehicles. This will give you enough time to respond if the vehicle in front of you stops suddenly.

Failure To Give Way

Failure to give way is another major cause of car accidents in Australia. They make for almost 26% of the total accidents. These accidents occur when a person wrongly enters an intersection and doesn't give way to the driver with the right of way. By not giving away, you put yourself and other passengers in a dangerous situation. Following road traffic laws regarding the right of way and choosing gaps in traffic to turn correctly can prevent these accidents.

Collision With Stationary Object

Crashing or colliding into a stationary object is the third most common type of car accident in Australia. You could collide with any object like a light pole, a mailbox, a guard rail, or anything else on the road. These types of accidents occur when you get distracted while driving or lose control of your car due to bad weather conditions.

Collision While Reversing Vehicle

While these kinds of accidents are rarely life-threatening, they can still be dangerous. You must check behind you using the rearview mirrors in the vehicle or turn around and look behind before backing out of your parking space. Not paying attention to objects or property behind you when backing out can lead to property damage or even injure someone.

Hitting An Animal

Hitting an animal is another common type of road accident in Australia. Kangaroos make for about 90% of animal accidents in Australia. These accidents usually occur at dusk or dawn in areas known to have a high kangaroo population. Keeping your speed low and being alert can prevent these accidents.

Side Impact Collisions

Side impact collisions occur when one vehicle crashes into another from the side. These collisions are dangerous because the sides of your vehicle are not strong enough to withstand the impact and protect you. Ensure you look both ways for traffic while driving, even when you have the right of way. Assuming other vehicles will follow the rules and drive carefully is a sure-shot way of getting into a side-impact collision.

Head-On Collisions

These are some of the most dangerous and fatal types of accidents. These types of collisions usually occur at high speeds. As a result, the seat belt, airbags, and other safety features in your vehicle cannot absorb the full impact of the crash and protect you from injury. Most head-on collisions involve other vehicles. However, in some cases, you may crash head-on with animals and fixed objects like trees as well.

Head-on collisions usually occur when vehicles are driven in the wrong lane. They also occur if you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. There are a couple of actions you can take to avoid head-on collisions: Avoid speeding and pay attention to the road while driving, don't drive in the wrong direction, and stay alert on the roads to avoid head-on collisions.

Multi-Vehicle Collisions

Multi-vehicle collisions occur when three or more vehicles crash into each other on freeways, busy roads, or highways. These accidents can be more dangerous than head-on collisions because your car may get impacted multiple times and from different angles. Multiple impacts are difficult for any vehicle to absorb, no matter how strong it is or how many safety features it has. You may not always be at fault in a multi-vehicle accident. You could get caught between negligent drivers leading to the accident. You must be alert on busy roads and highways to prevent these accidents. Keep an eye on the drivers around you, and maintain a comfortable distance from vehicles that seem to have distracted or negligent drivers.

Accidents While Merging

These types of accidents occur when two lanes of traffic merge into one lane. These types of collisions are usually caused by drivers who are in a hurry to merge. They may not check their blind spots while changing lanes. Remember to turn your head and check for blind spots before you try to merge into a lane with moving traffic. Drive slowly so that all vehicles have enough time to merge onto the road.

While not every road accident can be avoided, the number of such accidents and their impact can definitely be reduced if everyone on the road follows traffic rules and does their part. Lesser accidents will lead to lesser fatalities and critical injuries. Also, knowing the different types of car crashes and how to avoid them can help you take steps to prevent them. Driving responsibly and being alert on the road will not only protect you from injuries but may save another life as well.