While auto accidents cannot always be avoided, they may sometimes be prevented through taking precautionary steps and making wise decisions. Unfortunately, many drivers fail to do either and end up involved in crashes as a result.
Markel Specialty has observed several trends within its accident data that recur, such as our insureds frequently rear-ending other vehicles and making sudden and potentially hazardous lane changes.
Rear-end Collisions
Rear-endings by other cars can result in debilitating injuries ranging from whiplash to fractured ribs. Speed of impact often determines how severe these injuries will be.
Most often, it is presumed that the driver in the rear is responsible for an accident due to failure to maintain sufficient distance between their vehicle and that in front of them. However, negligence from reckless or aggressive driving (tailgating), or winter weather conditions (like slippery roads) could also play a part.
Brake checking, in which a driver abruptly hits their brakes to check behind them, is another cause of rear-end collisions and should be punishable under law. Other causes could include driving under the influence, fatigued or sleepy driving habits or simply poor habits on the road.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions cause the most severe injuries due to their powerful impact. They often involve drivers using one-way roads wrongly or veering into oncoming traffic without warning, or falling asleep behind the wheel.
Road conditions such as potholes, loose gravel and debris on the road surface, insufficient lighting or lack of lane markings may also contribute to these accidents. All drivers have a responsibility to use reasonable care to avoid risks of injury to others.
Victims of head-on collisions typically endure severe physical trauma from these incidents, ranging from broken bones and lacerations to internal injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). TBIs can produce symptoms ranging from headaches to quadriplegia that prevent victims from working, paying bills and enjoying life normally; many victims die due to these injuries sustained from such collisions.
Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions may be less frequent but can still have devastating repercussions. Occupants in vehicles struck can be violently tossed about within their car, often suffering serious injuries such as broken bones and internal bleeding as a result of such impacts at high speeds.
Side-impact crashes often happen when drivers fail to yield to the right-of-way or run red lights without giving warning, making their behavior legally actionable and leading to severe injury or even death for accident victims.
A car accident lawyer could assist you in seeking damages after another driver caused a side-impact collision. Their investigation could include looking at evidence such as skid marks and points of impact to determine negligence; speed, visibility and additional circumstances would all help them assess damages and determine compensation amounts. They would fight hard on your behalf against insurance company offers in order to negotiate for a fair settlement settlement.
T-Bone Collisions
T-bone crashes occur when one vehicle strikes another at an intersection. Both drivers may be at fault; jurors will decide by looking at which laws were disregarded by either driver; for example, if one ran a red light and hit another motorist in an intersection as a result of doing so, that driver would likely be held liable.
Engineered issues that can contribute to T-bone collisions include short time settings on yellow lights that force drivers to run them and traffic signals with obscured views. A lawyer can help identify any other parties who might share responsibility for an accident and identify those liable.
injured motorists can seek compensation for both physical and financial damages. Financial damages can be calculated by adding up the total of medical bills, car repair expenses and lost wages; non-economic damages like pain and suffering may be harder to quantify.