The term “car accident” is a broad phrase that covers many kinds of occurrences, each with a variety of causes. These factors determine the likely outcome of the incident in question and the potential liability for any resulting injuries.
In particular, you can classify car accidents using the nature of the crash, the cause thereof, and the victims involved. To that end, the following car accident types come up most frequently in personal injury claims:
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end crashes, which happen when a driver slams into the back of the vehicle ahead of them, are the most common type of car accident in the U.S. According to the National Safety Council, about 41% of the nation’s car crashes involve rear-end collisions.
In these accidents, the occupants of both the front and rear vehicles whip forward and back due to the sudden impact. These forces can cause concussions, whiplash, and chest bruises. Though these are certainly serious injuries, rear-end crashes ultimately cause fewer fatalities than other crash types.
Nevertheless, the rear driver often bears the liability for these accidents, as they are responsible for following at a safe distance. Actions like tailgating, speeding, and distracted driving can easily lead to these kinds of wrecks.
Head-On Crashes
Head-on crashes, while not all too common, are potentially deadly nonetheless. These collisions produce massive crash energy, as both vehicles receive the full force of the other moving toward it.
These crashes often result from wrong-way driving. For example, a confused, distracted, or impaired driver might travel up an off-ramp and travel in the wrong direction on a freeway. As you might expect, the liability for these accidents would fall on the driver going the wrong way.
Pedestrian Accidents
Because pedestrians have no major forms of protection when hit by a vehicle, accidents like these pose a significant risk of injury or death. That risk, in fact, is twofold: Injuries can occur in the initial impact with the vehicle and the secondary impact between the pedestrian and the ground.
Some common injuries include road rash, bone fractures, and soft tissue damage. Head trauma is also a potential outcome, which could cause the victim to experience a brain injury ranging from a concussion to a life-threatening cerebral contusion or subdural hematoma.
These crashes can have many causes, including jaywalking, failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, and distracted driving. If drivers violate traffic laws protecting pedestrians, they will most likely be liable for the pedestrian’s injuries.
DUI Accidents
California law prohibits driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and that includes driving while impaired by prescription medication.
These chemicals can affect a driver in the following ways:
- Altering their judgment and decision-making skills
- Affecting their ability to measure distance or speed
- Impairing their physical coordination
Alcohol and some drugs can make drivers drowsy, while other medications can make drivers jittery. Either of these behavioral changes can affect the driver’s ability to control their vehicle safely.
Intersection Collisions
California law determines when drivers must stop and wait for other vehicles in (or near) intersections. When they violate these rules, such as in the following ways, they disturb the expectations of other motorists.
A collision can occur under the following circumstances:
- Turning left across the path of an active traffic lane
- Turning right into the path of cross-traffic
- Disobeying stop signs, yield signs, or red lights
- Proceeding out of turn at a four-way stop
The liability for an intersection accident often falls on the driver who violated the relevant right-of-way rules. For example, a driver who turns left at a two-way stop without waiting for a gap in traffic could get hit, but they would be responsible for any injuries caused by the collision.
Single-Vehicle Crashes
Single-vehicle crashes refer to any of the following traffic incidents:
- Hitting a fixed object
- Striking a parked car
- Colliding with an animal
- Running off the road
- Rolling over
The liability for crashes involving a single vehicle often falls on the affected driver. However, other parties might also bear the liability for these crashes, including the local government agency responsible for maintaining the road.
Analyzing Liability for Car Accidents
Under California law, the liability for car accidents, regardless of type, falls on the negligent party: the person or entity that violated its duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. Usually, you’ll prove negligence by showing that the party violated traffic laws; a tailgating driver, for instance, will often be liable for the resulting rear-end crash.
In other situations, the driver may not have violated the law, which means an injury lawyer must show that the driver did something unreasonably dangerous. For example, while California does not prohibit eating while driving, a driver who causes a crash via the distraction of dropping their food while driving may be held liable.
Contact the San Diego Car Accident Lawyers at Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Car accidents in San Diego often result from careless or aggressive driving. Contact Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss the details of your accident and how we can pursue compensation from the driver responsible for causing it. Our San Diego car accident attorneys can help get the compensation you deserve.
