California car accidents may happen for a variety of reasons. The causes behind them could be road hazards such as potholes, driver errors, or simple carelessness.
Regardless of the cause, these are the most common types of car accidents in the state.
Rear-End Collisions
Getting rear-ended while stopped may be one of the most frustrating types of accidents. This is because it is due to drivers that aren’t paying attention to the traffic ahead or following too closely.
Head-On Collisions
By far, one of the most serious types of car accidents is a head-on car crash. It’s not all that common, but when it occurs, it is usually because of drunk driving, distracted driving, or speeding. Sometimes, it’s a combination of all those factors, and sadly, it tends to have deadly consequences.
Side-Impact Collisions
Often called a T-bone accident because of the shape that is formed, side-impact crashes result in serious injuries for the occupants of any vehicle. Since the sides of a car have less protection than the front or rear, it is harder to absorb the shock of a collision. These types of car accidents often occur because of a failure to stop at intersections.
Rollover Accidents
When vehicles roll over in an accident, there’s a good chance that those involved will suffer catastrophic injuries. Frequently, drivers and passengers are ejected from the vehicle in such a collision. Drivers that are speeding or intoxicated that overreact to conditions on the road, such as an obstacle, can easily turn too sharply, flipping the car over in the process.
Blind Spot Collisions
Before merging or changing lanes, you must check your blind spot. When a driver fails to do so, an accident could happen. Many new vehicles are equipped with alerts that notify drivers when another vehicle or object is in the blind spot. However, not everyone has this technology, which means they must check the old-fashioned way to ensure the lane is clear.
Blind spot accidents are caused by driver error, often leading to sideswipe accidents on the roadways. This may be minor at low speeds and with comparably sized vehicles; however, when motorcyclists or bicyclists are in a vehicle’s blind spot, the potential for serious injury is extreme.
Merging Crashes
With California’s busy roadways, merging crashes are a daily occurrence. It can be difficult to get into a packed lane of traffic. Other drivers may accelerate to pass while making a lane change, causing a crash. When merging occurs at high speeds, it can leave accident victims with serious injuries.
Even accidents at low speeds can potentially leave you and your loved ones with a mountain of medical bills. Whiplash, neck and back injuries, or even broken bones are often the result of minor collisions.
If you were not at fault for an accident, it’s a smart idea to speak to a personal injury lawyer to determine if you can pursue compensation for your injuries.
