Common Types of Car Accidents in San Diego

A car accident is a traumatic experience that changes the course of a life for a few months, or even forever. Some car accidents only cause inconvenience, with a vehicle out of commission for repairs or replacement. Other accidents cause serious injuries with life-altering consequences that may be temporary or permanent. Accidents aren’t always avoidable, because we cannot control the behavior of other drivers sharing our roadways, but understanding the most common types of car accidents in San Diego helps drivers to be aware and alert, minimizing the risks.

If you’ve been injured in an 18-wheeler truck accident, don’t face the aftermath alone. As experienced San Diego personal injury attorneys, we at Haffner & Morgan, LLP are here to help you secure the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation at (619) 541-8787 or reach out to us online.

T-Bone Accidents in San Diego

Many accidents happen in busy San Diego intersections, resulting in the most common type of accident—T-bone collisions. This type of accident is also called an angle collision or broadside collision. In a T-bone accident, a vehicle fails to yield the right of way in an intersection and the front of the car collides with the side of a second vehicle already in the intersection. T-bone accidents cause serious or catastrophic injuries to those in the car hit broadside because the side of the vehicle is the thinnest point, lacking the buffer zone of the engine or trunk. Motorists in the vehicle that hits the car broadside experience a head-on collision which could result in serious injuries in that vehicle as well.

T-bone collisions make up 44.9% of two-car collisions.

Head-On Collisions in San Diego

Head-on collisions occur when one vehicle departs from its lane and collides with the front of another. Head-on collisions result from improper passing, slippery road conditions, speeding around curves, or entering a divided highway or one-way street in the wrong direction.

The crash force in a head-on collision doubles because both vehicles are traveling toward each other at the point of impact. A head-on collision between two vehicles traveling at 50 miles per hour has the same crash force as a collision with an obstacle at 100 miles per hour. Head-on collisions commonly result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.

Head-on collisions make up 29.6% of two-car collisions.

Rear-End Collisions in San Diego

A rear-end collision occurs when one driver fails to stop in time to avoid colliding with the rear of a slowed or stopped vehicle directly in front of them. They most commonly result from the rear driver’s failure to leave enough distance between the front of their vehicle and the rear of the one in front. Distracted driving is another common cause of rear-end collisions.

Rear-end collisions cause injuries in both vehicles, but the most destructive injuries typically occur to those in the front vehicle because they don’t see the accident coming and don’t have time to brace. Rear-end collisions are the most common cause of whiplash as well as other serious injuries.

Rear-end collisions make up 17.3% of collisions with other vehicles.

Sideswipe Accidents in San Diego

When one vehicle makes an unsafe lane change or improperly merges into traffic, it may hit the side of a vehicle already in the lane, causing a glancing blow that sometimes results in one or both drivers losing control. A sideswipe accident causes injuries ranging from mild to severe depending on whether or not the drivers regain control.

Sideswipe accidents make up 8.2% of two-car accidents.

Multi-Vehicle Crashes and Rollovers

Less commonly, multi-vehicle accidents occur in San Diego when one vehicle crashes on a high-speed roadway. Other drivers traveling at a high rate of speed in the same direction cannot stop in time to avoid further collisions, resulting in a multi-car pileup.

Vehicle rollovers aren’t as common as other car accidents, but they result from accidents on high-speed roadways or when a vehicle departs from the roadway and hits the shoulder of the road into a bank or ditch.

Insurance Claims After Common Car Accidents in San Diego

Most car accidents result from driver error. Under California’s fault-based insurance laws, a driver who causes an accident is liable for damages to others, including medical expenses and lost wages, typically paid through their auto insurance policy.

If you’ve been injured in a San Diego car accident, a skilled San Diego car accident lawyer can help. Call the attorneys at Haffner & Morgan, LLP (619) 541-8787 for a consultation on your car accident claim.