What Type of Car Crash Is the Deadliest?

When two four-wheeled passenger vehicles collide, the results can include costly property damage, significant injuries and even death in some cases. Crashes can occur in a variety of different locations and can involve different complicating factors, including a driver’s decision not to use safety restraints.

However, when looking at basic two-vehicle collisions, the type of crash that occurs is a critical consideration. The way in which the two vehicles strike one another has a direct impact on the likelihood of a deadly outcome.

The angle of approach is a key factor

Head-on collision often cause devastating damage to vehicles. If someone in one of the vehicles chooses not to use safety restraints, they are at risk of getting thrown from the vehicle.

However, head-on collisions are relatively rare. Additionally, vehicle manufacturers install systems intended to protect vehicle occupants in the event of head-on collisions. Therefore, head-on collisions are the second deadliest type of crash. They cause 29.9% of reported traffic fatalities.

Rear-end crashes are even less likely to prove deadly. While they can cause fatal injuries, especially at high speeds, they are only responsible for 17% of all traffic fatalities. Sideswipes and other minor collisions are responsible for just 8.2% of all fatalities in traffic.

Angle collisions, also known as T-bone crashes, are the deadliest type of collision. One vehicle strikes the side of another, the chances of mortality are higher. They account for 44.8% of all fatal crashes. The lack of standardized side-impact safety systems, such as airbags, contributes to the high fatality rate of angle collisions.

Even if an angle collision isn’t fatal, it could cause serious injuries and leave a vehicle unsafe to drive. People who are aware of risk factors, including what makes a collision more dangerous, can protect themselves in traffic. They can also take appropriate steps in pursuit of financial compensation after a collision.

Filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit may be possible after a side-impact car crash. The driver at fault for the collision usually needs to compensate the people affected by the incident.