Car accident

A car accident, commonly understood as an unexpected and unfortunate event involving an automobile, varies in nature and consequence. It can range from minor fender benders to catastrophic collisions resulting in significant damage or loss of life. Although often referred to as "accidents," many of these incidents are the result of human error, and thus some argue that the term "accident" may be misleading.

Car crash

Classification and Terminology

Car accidents have several colloquial terms based on regional preferences, including:

• Traffic collisions
• Auto accidents
• Road accidents
• Personal injury collisions
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Crashes (common in American radio broadcasts)

Global Impact

According to a 2004 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), car accidents result in approximately 1.2 million deaths annually and injuries that number around 48 million. However, the term "accident" is often disputed in this context, as many sources suggest that over 90% of these incidents are attributable to driver negligence.

Guy Cobb Car Accident 2010

Vehicle Safety Statistics

In the UK, the Department of Transport categorizes road deaths based on vehicle types. As per the statistics from 2004/2005:

Popular lightweight cars, such as the BMW 3 series (6%), Subaru Impreza (8%), and Honda Accord (6%), have a 6%-8% fatality rate in two-car collisions. Traditional safety cars, such as the Volvo 700 (4%) and Volvo 900 (3%), reduce the fatality rate by approximately half. In two-car crashes, SUVs like Jeep Cherokee and Toyota Land Cruiser have a lower 2% fatality rate for their occupants. However, in multi-vehicle collisions, SUVs are more likely to cause fatalities in the other involved party. Among the safest vehicles based on fatality rates are Jaguar XJ series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class/SEC, Land Rover Defender, and Land Rover Discovery, all with a 1% rate.

Motorcyclist and Scooter Statistics

In England and Wales, motorcyclist fatalities account for 53% of annual road deaths. Scooters and mopeds (up to 50cc) contribute to 3% of these deaths, with 2% of these fatalities involving 16-19-year-olds who lacked Compulsory Basic Training (CBT).

Historical Fatalities

The history of car-related fatalities dates back to the late 19th century:

Mary Ward, in 1869, may have been the first fatality in a steam-driven vehicle in Ireland. In the UK, the first petrol-driven car fatality involving a pedestrian was Bridget Driscoll in 1896. The initial car occupant deaths occurred in 1899 when a Daimler vehicle driven by Edwin Sewell crashed in Harrow on the Hill.

Responsibility of Car Manufacturers

Car manufacturers have been both praised for safety innovations and criticized for producing vehicles capable of high speeds. Prominent critiques include Ralph Nader's "Unsafe At Any Speed" and Keith Bradsher's "High and Mighty."

Trends in Collision Statistics

Road fatality trends since the 1980s reflect a 50% reduction in most countries, indicating effective safety measures. However, in the US, fatalities saw a slight increase between 1994 and 2003, but when adjusted for miles driven, the fatality rate decreased by 16% from 1995 to 2005.

Types of Collisions

Car accidents are classified into several categories, such as:

Head-on collisions Rear-end collisions Side collisions Rollovers Single-vehicle collisions Multi-vehicle collisions Backup accidents Level crossing accidents Suicides Side collisions often result in significant structural damage as many vehicles are less robust side-to-side than front-to-back.

Legal Consequences

Legal implications of car accidents vary depending on the jurisdiction. Parties involved are typically required to stop at the scene, provide necessary identification or insurance information, or notify law enforcement. Failure to do so might result in a "hit and run" charge, which is a criminal offense in most jurisdictions.

Criminal liability can arise in cases of severe negligence, intoxication, or resultant severe injury or death. Civil liability pertains to compensation claims made by the injured party, which are often settled without involving attorneys.

Rubbernecking

Rubbernecking is where drivers slow down to look at recent collisions or anything out of the ordinary on the highway. Events ranging from gruesome car accidents to a police car stopped on the shoulder can cause traffic jams on both sides of the road, even if the roadway has been cleared.

Although caution is advised when there is unexpected activity on the side of a road, a car with a flat tire on the side of a highway often causes as much slow down as a real accident would due to rubbernecking. The slowdown in traffic persists even after the accident scene has been cleared if traffic is dense. Traffic experts call this phenomenon a phantom accident. This behaviour can potentially cause additional and sometimes more-serious accidents among the distracted rubberneckers.

Studies have shown some evidence of just how dramatically rubbernecking affects traffic flow, with estimates [1] being as significant as every minute of actual congestion resulting in 10 minutes of flow-on congestion. Such impact is readily observed in the event of a crash on a major arterial route, where traffic backs up on both sides of the road at roughly equal rates.

Backup accidents

Backup accidents happen when a driver reverses their car into an object, person, or another car. Although most cars come equipped with rear view mirrors, which are adequate for detecting vehicles behind a car, they are inadequate on many vehicles for detecting small children or objects close to the ground, which fall in the car's blind spot. Large trucks have much larger blind spots that can hide entire vehicles and large adults.

According to research by Kids and Cars – an organization devoted to preventing (non-traffic) motor-vehicle-related deaths and injuries – 49% of the non-traffic, non-crash fatalities involving children under 15 from 2001-2005 were caused by vehicles backing up.

The CDC reported that from 2001-2003, an estimated 7,475 children (2,492 per year) under the age of 15 were treated for automobile back-over accidents.

In its “Deaths and Injuries Resulting from Certain Non-Traffic and Non-Crash Events,” report issued in May of 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that back-up accidents most often:

• Occur in residential driveways and parking lots
• Involve sport utility vehicles (SUVs) or small trucks
• Occur when a parent, relative or someone known to the family is driving
• Particularly affect children less than five years old

The car backing up and hit an object, a person, or another car is usually considered to be at fault.

Prevention organizations suggest that parents use common sense, and also take safety measures such as installing cross view mirrors, audible collision detectors, rear view video camera and/or some type of reverse backup sensors.

Collision prevention

Although many accidents are caused by behavior that is difficult to alter, by mechanical failure, or by road conditions, some technical solutions are becoming more widely available to prevent accidents:

• Proximity monitors: These would automatically detect how close the driver is to the car in front and automatically adjust the car's acceleration to prevent the car from getting closer than the distance in which it can safely stop.
• Sobriety detectors: These locks prevent the ignition key from working if the driver breathes into one and is shown to have consumed alcohol.
• Drifting monitors: These devices monitor how close a vehicle is traveling to lane markers and, if it starts to drift toward or over the markers without the turn signal being activated, sounds an alarm.
• Eye tracking devices: These devices (still in development) will monitor eye closure and driver inattention.

In most developed countries, young (under 25 years old) male drivers have been shown to be by far the most likely to be involved in a car accident, and this has become an area of focus. Reasons suggested for this include inexperience combined with over-confidence, peer pressure, a desire to show off, and even neurological development arguments. In addition most serious accidents occur at night and when the car has multiple occupants. This has led to the following proposals:

• A "curfew" imposed on young drivers to prevent them driving at night.
• Requiring an experienced supervisor to chaperone the less experienced driver.
• Forbidding the carrying of passengers.
• Zero alcohol tolerance.
• Compulsory advanced driving courses.
• Vehicle restrictions (eg. 'high performance' vehicles)
• Requiring a sign placed on the back of the vehicle to notify other drivers of a less-experienced individual in the driver's seat.

Some countries or states have already implemented some of these ideas. This increased risk for the young is known to the insurance companies, and premiums reflect that; however, very high premiums for young male drivers do not seem to have had a significant impact on the accident statistics, suggesting that these drivers simply accept the high premiums as part of the "on road" costs of mobility.

Mortality in USA (2004)

All unintentional injury deaths

Number of deaths: 108,694

Deaths per 100,000 population: 37.0

Cause of death rank: 5

Unintentional fall deaths

Number of deaths: 18,535

Deaths per 100,000 population: 6.3

Unintentional poisoning deaths

Number of deaths: 19,250

Deaths per 100,000 population: 6.6

Motor vehicle traffic deaths

Number of deaths: 46,933

Deaths per 100,000 population: 16.0

How to deal with a car accident

Right after the accident, you should:

• Stop. If you can, move your car to the side of the road or out of the way of oncoming traffic. If you can’t move your car, stay in your car with your seatbelt fastened and wait for help. Warn other drivers with flares and hazard lights.
• Help or get help for injured people.
• Call 911 or the local police department to report the accident.
• Do not say that you caused the accident.

• Exchange the following information with the other

driver(s):

• name
• address
• phone number
• insurance company
• insurance policy number
• driver license number
• license plate number
• Write down:
• description of the other car(s) – year, make, model, and color
• exact location of accident
• how the accident happened
• phone numbers and addresses of witnesses
• Work with the police, but do not admit or accept blame for the accident.

After an accident, you and your parents or guardian should:

• Call or see your doctor if you have any injuries.
• Report the accident to your insurance company.
• Check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see if you need to report the accident.
• Contact your insurance company and/or a lawyer if you are sued.
• Contact a lawyer if you need legal advice or help making a claim or dealing with your insurance company.

Summary

Car accidents, their causes, impacts, and aftermath, remain a significant concern globally. With advancements in vehicle safety and regulatory measures, there has been a downward trend in fatalities. Nevertheless, vigilance, adherence to traffic rules, and continuous innovations in road and vehicle safety are crucial to further reduce these incidents and their often tragic outcomes.

See also

• Car accident attorney
• Unsafe at Any Speed
• Defensive driving
• Crash test dummy
• Vehicle extrication
• Road safety
• Transportation safety in the United States
• Pedestrian Safety Through Vehicle Design
• Roadside memorial
• List of road accidents
• In case of emergency
• Vehicle explosion

External links

• Community database on Accidents on the Roads in Europe CARE
• Car accidents
• U.S. DOT Fatality Analysis Reporting System FARS
• galleries of wrecked vehicles

Car accident Resources
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