Car Accident Terms & Definitions

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In a typical rear-end crash the driver that rear ends the other vehicle is most often assigned fault and liability. Common causes of these types of accidents include: driver inattention, eating while driving, talking on a cell phone while driving and other types of operator error. It is rare that a rear-end crash occurs due to mechanical failure. If you have been struck from behind by another driver you are likely to suffer from back and neck pain. These symptoms tend to worsen several days after the accident and that is why it is so important that you not sign anything or give a verbal statement to the insurance company following an accident. Instead, we recommend that you seek medical treatment and call our office to ensure that your legal rights are adequately protected.

Head on:
A head-on motor vehicle accident is almost always a catastrophic case. No matter what speed you are traveling at the time of impact, that trauma is multiplied and compounded by the additional speed of the other driver. Head-on motor vehicle accidents most often occur due to driver inattention, falling asleep at the wheel, adverse weather conditions and driving while intoxicated. To protect yourself and your passengers from this very serious type of accident it is imperative that you never drive when you are drowsy or anything less than 100% alert and in control of your vehicle. It will not surprise you to learn that these types of collisions often happen very late at night. In these types of accidents it is likely that the victim(s) will require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. It is rare that an individual is lucky enough to walk away from an accident such as this. To minimize the possibility of this type of accident we recommend that you never get behind the wheel of a vehicle when you are drowsy or sleep deprived.

Hit by drunk driver:
Drunk drivers injure and kill. Their victims are not just those in the vehicle they hit – but also the families of those they hurt. It has been our experience that family members of loved ones injured or killed by a drunk driver are left to deal with a great deal of anger that may take a lifetime to resolve. The NHTSA – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that alcohol is involved in 39% of all fatal crashes. The good news is that there has been a 5 percent reduction in this statistic since 1995. The rate of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes is more than 3 times higher at night as during the day. For all crashes, the alcohol involvement rate is 5 times higher at night. The highest percentage of drivers in fatal crashes who had BAC levels of .08 or higher was for drivers ages 21 to 24 followed by the 25 to 34 age group.

Texting while driving:
One of the most alarming recent developments is the spread of “texting while driving.” At first, this was a problem associated mainly with young adults’ text messaging their friends while driving. As more and more people use text-messaging, the problem is widespread and includes most of the population. It seems that everyone knows how dangerous it is to text while driving, yet in our busy society, the problem seems to be increasing. The danger has been written about in many publications. A short time ago the New York Times carried an article about a fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred as a result of this activity. It causes driver inattention which is commonly associated with the most serious of motor vehicle accidents including head on crashes.

Reckless driving:
Reckless driving is most commonly associated with young drivers, particularly young males under the age of 25. It may involve driving at high speeds, and/or making high risk choices to challenge or intimidate another driver. Reckless driving is also associated with drunk driving. Whatever the particular circumstance, reckless driving can be fatal not only to the driver or a vehicle but to passengers, pedestrians and other drivers.

Ran Stop Sign:
Accidents that occur as a result of someone running a stop sign are sometimes perceived to be generally less frequent and less serious than those that occur when someone runs a traffic light. Why is that? Because we tend to think that higher volume traffic patterns exist where there are traffic lights and low volume traffic is the norm where stop signs are placed. Although this is true, it is also true that stop signs are often found in remote areas where drivers do not expect to see other drivers and therefore get careless about obeying signs. If an accident occurs under these conditions it is often catastrophic and sometimes fatal. Remember that stop signs are there for your protection and it is imperative that they be obeyed regardless of traffic patterns and volume. We encourage you to drive with a mindset that does not allow for “rolling stops.” The risk is far too great to take in order to save a few short seconds.

Chain reaction collision:
More often than not chain reactions occur during adverse weather conditions. We’ve all seen and heard reports of 27+ car pile-ups on major highways during bad weather such as fog or snow or ice storms. Although there are no guarantees that this won’t happen to you, there are some basic pre-cautions that will minimize that possibility. First and foremost, when weather is bad, we recommend that you at least double the space that you would normally allow between your car or truck and the vehicle in front of you. This way, if he/she is to skid or stop short, you will have a larger area to bring your car to a stop thereby avoiding any collision. Of course we also caution you about driving in extreme weather conditions. Driving is the most dangerous activity that most of us engage in on a regular basis. It just doesn’t make sense to compound that danger by adding the circumstance of bad weather conditions.

SUV and Passenger Van Rollovers:
The primary cause of vehicle rollover is turning too sharply while traveling too fast. Vehicles with a high center of gravity, such as trucks, sport-utility vehicles and vans are particularly susceptible. For example, SUV rollovers are common because SUV’s have a high center of gravity due to a raised suspension that is needed to accommodate 4 wheel drive. Large 12 or 15 passenger vans are also prone to rollover, particularly if they have anything on the roof. We strongly recommend that you not place anything on the roof of these vans. Also, avoid any sharp turns. This kind of maneuver can be deadly. Other reasons for rollover include hitting a large obstacle. If a rollover does occur, possible injuries include cervical neck fractures, head injuries, major back injuries, paralysis or death. If you own and operate an SUV or passenger van we caution you to fully understand the limitations of these vehicles so that you and your loved are safe as you travel.