Car accidents can drastically change people’s lives without warning. One moment you are driving to work or running errands. The next thing you hear is shattering glass and feel hard impacts to your body.
According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agency, approximately 400,000 crashes occur in the Sunshine State every year. The unprepared motorists and pedestrians in those incidents suffer more than 250,000 injuries. Given the high number of incidents that happen every day, it’s essential for Floridians to understand how common car accidents occur and what to do if you’ve been injured.
Five Common Types Of Car Accidents and Their Impact
Despite trucks, cars, and SUVs including more safety measures than ever before, driving has not necessarily improved. Even as drunk driving gets more aggressively addressed, texting and other forms of distractions enhance the conditions for accidents. The following rank among the most common car accidents caused by careless drivers.
- Rear-End Collisions: This variety typically occurs as a result of a driver following too close behind the vehicle ahead or because of a distraction. When the person in the first vehicle brakes suddenly or simply comes to a red light, the driver in the rear fails to stop in time. Rear-end collisions often result in significant head and neck injuries to drivers and passengers in both vehicles. Maintaining safe distance typically requires at least two full seconds of braking time between automobiles.
- Single-Vehicle Accidents: Losing control of your vehicle can happen more easily than many realize. Hydroplaning or swerving in an emergency can result in vehicles spinning off the road and striking a stationary object such as a guardrail, wall, or tree. It’s crucial to remain as calm as possible and avoid slamming on the brakes. Reduce your speed and maintain the wheel in a straight, fixed position. It may come as something of a surprise, but the first car accident was a single-vehicle incident in 1891. An Ohio driver reportedly hit a tree root, lost control, and slammed into a hitching post.
- T-Bone Accidents: When someone runs a stop sign or red light at an intersection, that reckless driver can slam into the side of your vehicle. It’s difficult to defend against negligent drivers who don’t obey regulations or pay attention to traffic signs and signals. Perhaps the best defensive strategy is to monitor traffic to your left and right whenever possible.
- Clipping Rear-Quarter When Merging: Dense and high-speed merge areas routinely put vehicles in blind spots. As cars, trucks, and SUVs try to change lanes or merge into one, missteps occur. The result is often one vehicle getting dinged in the rear-quarter or sideswiped altogether. These types of accidents heighten the danger of spinouts or fishtailing. Checking mirrors and quickly glancing through side windows before changing lanes can reduce collisions.
- Low-Speed Impacts: It seems almost impossible to have a fender-bender while traveling slowly in a parking lot. But the reality is that accidents routinely occur around 10 mph at shopping centers and residential neighborhoods. Hesitation or non-verbal miscommunication sometimes contributes to low-speed collisions. Other times, pedestrians or bicyclists move in front or behind a vehicle without warning. Perhaps the best way to avoid low-speed accidents is to keep one foot on the brake while the vehicle idles along.
Attentive, defensive driving skills can improve driving safety for everyone on the road. But given the high volume of accidents and injuries on Florida roads and highways, it’s essential to also seek medical treatment after a crash.
What You Need To Know About Common Car Accident Injuries and Symptoms
For a free legal consultation, call 321-503-4014
Experiencing a car crash often heightens the senses as the body releases adrenaline. These natural reactions help us get through a dangerous situation. But our natural defenses can also mask injuries that require prompt medical attention. The following rank among the most common crash-related injuries.
- Broken Bones
- Skin Lacerations
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Herniated Discs
- Knee & Joint Trauma
- Internal Bleeding & Organ Damage
Contact Your Trusted Melbourne, FL Law Firm After a Personal Injury Accident
Because the body’s reaction tends to hide the pain for hours and even days, car accident victims sometimes don’t seek a medical evaluation and treatment. As a result, injured people could exacerbate the condition and increase the difficulty of having medical expenses covered. As a personal injury attorney in Melbourne, FL, I urge my community members to seek prompt medical attention. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or loss due to someone else’s negligence, contact Andrew Pickett Law and schedule a consultation today.