While any car accident can result in serious injuries, some types of collisions are often more dangerous — and deadlier — than others. The speed of the cars involved, the force of the crash, and the impact location can all play a role in determining the severity of the injuries suffered by the vehicle occupants. If your loved one was in a fatal car crash caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s important to understand that you may be entitled to recover compensation by filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
The following are five of the most dangerous types of car accidents that can result in fatality:
1. Rollover Crashes
Rollover accidents are among the most deadly types of car crashes — and those that don’t result in fatality often leave a victim with serious, life-changing injuries or permanent disability. In a rollover accident, a vehicle can end up on its side or on the roof. Depending on the force and point of impact, the sides and roof of the vehicle can cave in as it rolls over. This can result in occupants being crushed, pinned inside the vehicle, or exposed to flying debris.
2. Multiple Vehicle Pileups
Multiple vehicle pileups can happen when two cars collide with one another — and the vehicles behind do not brake in time to avoid crashing into them. These types of accidents can be particularly dangerous because a vehicle occupant can be struck more than once. According to statistics by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 61% of car occupant fatalities occurred in multiple vehicle crashes in 2021.
3. Truck Accidents
Most fatalities in large truck collisions involve the occupants of passenger vehicles. Critically, trucks can weigh 20-30 times more than small passenger vehicles on the road. Limited visibility, braking challenges, wide turns, and size disparity can all put the occupants of smaller vehicles at significant risk when it comes to truck accidents.
4. Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are some of the most fatal types of car accidents that can occur. These crashes arise when the front ends of two vehicles traveling in the opposite direction collide with one another. They are often caused by recklessness, inattention, speeding, fatigue, or driving under the influence. The vehicle occupants involved in a head-on collision can either be thrown from the car or be crushed inside. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, head-on collisions account for approximately 14% of all U.S. traffic fatalities annually and 27% of all roadway departure fatalities.
5. Side Impact Accidents
Side impact accidents can arise when a vehicle “T-bones” or collides into the side of another. Such crashes can be extremely dangerous because a driver may not see the oncoming vehicle and be able to brake or steer away to prevent the collision. While there is very little barrier between a vehicle occupant and the striking vehicle — unlike in a rear end accident where several feet separate the occupants from the outside of the colliding vehicle — the risk of fatality increases significantly.
Contact an Experienced New York Personal Injury Attorney
If you lost a loved one in a fatal car crash caused by another driver’s carelessness or recklessness, you might be entitled to pursue compensation by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Due to our experience, knowledge, and skill, The Edelsteins, Faegenburg & Brown, LLP regularly obtains substantial settlements and verdicts for our clients. Located in Manhattan, our firm has been handling personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout New York City since 1937. Call to schedule a free consultation at (212) 425-1999 today.