Most Common Types of Car Accidents in Indiana

Car accidents happen, and they often cause serious injuries. While no two car accidents are exactly alike, those that happen most frequently fall into several basic categories. If another driver’s negligence causes you to be injured in a car accident, reach out to an experienced car accident attorney for the professional legal counsel you’re looking for. 

Rear-End Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that rear-end accidents are some of the most common and most dangerous traffic crashes on our roads. In fact, in 2019, all the following statistics apply:

• There were 2,363 fatal rear-end accidents, which accounts for 7.1 percent of all fatal accidents that year. 
• 595,000 people were injured in rear-end accidents, which accounts for 31.1 percent of all injury-causing accidents that year. 
• Rear-end accidents were the number 1 cause of car crash injuries in 2019. 

Sideswipe Accidents

Sideswipe accidents occur when one motorist brushes or pushes against the side of another vehicle with the side of his or her own vehicle, and in 2019, they were one of the top 4 causes of both traffic fatalities and injury-causing accidents. Being nudged from the side by another vehicle is not only immensely dangerous in its own right, but can also push the sideswiped vehicle into the path of another lane of oncoming traffic. 

Head-On Accidents

Head-on accidents are every bit as dangerous as they are terrifying for everyone involved. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), as a driver’s speed increases, it significantly decreases the safety benefits of vehicle improvements such as structural design tweaks and airbags. By the time vehicles hit highway speeds, head-on collisions are closely associated with severe neck and brain injuries.

T-Bone Accidents

T-bone accidents occur when one vehicle drives headlong into the side of another. These accidents are very common to intersections, and distraction, excess speed, or impairment are often the underlying cause. T-bone accidents are especially dangerous for all the following reasons:

• Vehicles do not have the safety buffer of a crumple zone at their sides – the way they do with the trunk at the back and the hood at the front. 
• Vehicles generally don’t have airbags that protect occupants from the dangerous effects of a side impact. 
• Motorists who are t-boned by other drivers are generally blindsided, which leaves them with no way to mitigate the risk or to take any steps to help protect themselves – you may be able to steer clear of a driver who is tailgating you, but there is little you can do about a motorist who comes out of nowhere. 

Seek the Legal Guidance of an Experienced Indiana Car Accident Attorney 

The dedicated car accident attorneys in South Bend, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Lafayette, and Terre Haute. recognize the gravity of your unique situation and are committed to pouring the full force of their impressive experience and legal insight into building your strongest claim – in pursuit of its best possible resolution. Learn more by contacting or calling us at 833-264-0903 today.