There are many types of collisions that do not necessarily involve two passenger vehicles. There are single-vehicle collisions that may occur when a driver goes off the road, strikes a tree, hits road infrastructure or crashes into an animal.
There are crashes that may occur between different types of vehicles, including semi-trucks, buses, bicycles and motorcycles. There are also pedestrian crashes where people in vehicles strike individuals who are on foot. When looking specifically at car crashes involving two passenger vehicles, there are many different types of collisions that can occur.
There are four main types of crashes
The National Safety Council (NSC) recognizes four distinct types of passenger vehicle collisions. Perhaps the best-known type of crash is the head-on collision. Head-on collisions often take place at intersections or in scenarios where a driver travels the wrong way on a one-way road.
Although people often think of head-on collisions as the deadliest type of crash, they are actually the second-deadliest type of car wreck. Head-on collisions account for 29.6% of the fatal crashes reported annually in the United States. The deadliest type of crash is actually the angle crash.
An angle crash is a side-impact collision. During an angle collision, the front end of one vehicle strikes the side of another. These crashes are particularly deadly in part because vehicles do not always have built-in safety systems designed for side impact scenarios. They account for 44.9% of deadly crashes.
Rear-end crashes are relatively common. They are less dangerous than head-on crashes or angle collisions, but they still account for a significant number of traffic fatalities each year. Rear-end crashes are responsible for 17.3% of the traffic fatalities reported.
The least dangerous type of crash involves a side swipe or other type of collision. Vehicles may make glancing contact with one another without the full force of impact experienced in an angle collision or head-on crash. Sideswipes and all other types of collisions account for 8.2% of the fatalities reported in traffic each year.
Drivers can more effectively protect themselves from collision risk by monitoring their surroundings, following traffic laws and investing in vehicles with robust safety systems. Those involved in motor vehicle collisions may need help pursuing compensation. Learning about the specific types of crashes that occur can help a driver establish who was at fault and pursue compensation for their losses accordingly.