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A three-vehicle accident in Fenton at Highway 141 and Schenider around 7 am. this morning required two ambulances and a fire truck. At this time, it is known that at least one person was hurt but the extent of their injuries is unknown. As well, it is unknown the cause of the multi-vehicle accident. While the causes of this accident are yet unknown, below is a discussion of different types of car accidents and potential causes:
Around 40% of all car accidents happen at intersections according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Crashes often occur at intersections because these are the locations where two or more roads cross each other and activities such as turning left, crossing over, and turning right have the potential for conflicts resulting in crashes" NHTSA reports. Some cause of intersection crashes include: failure to look, faulty assumptions, blocked sight lines for turns, illegal maneuvers, distracted driving and misjudgment of distance.
T-Bone Accidents
There are many types of car accidents and each and everyone is unique. T-bone accidents are common at intersections of highways primarily because traffic is flowing at different directions, so a miscalculation by a driver can cause an intersection collision. Once two vehicles crash on a busy highway, it is not uncommon for a third vehicle to get caught in the collision either by rear ending or being run off of the road. Intersections at highways can be particularly dangerous as cars may be traveling at a high rate of speed.
Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents can happen more easily than you think. Typically, we think of rollover accidents as something we see in the movies but sport utility vehicles and light truck are good candidates for these accidents because of their higher center of gravity. SUV's and light trucks are more prone to rollover than passenger cars. Each year we see approximately 280,000 rollover accidents in the United States. New developments in safety equipment such as front and side bags and lower center of gravity design reduce the possibility of rollovers. However, may older models of SUV's and light trucks still are on the road without these improvements.
Rollovers account for over 51 percent of all deaths in SUV's and around 36% of all pickup trucks. Rollovers can be caused by driver error or possible product liability such as tire failure, tire tread flaws, poor stability, faulty suspension, steering problems, lack of vehicle stability control, failure to warn of vehicle instability or inadequate brakes.
Head-on car accidents are generally considered to be the most dangerous of accidents causing serious injuries or fatalities. They occur when two vehicles strike each other directly from the front and they are likely to cause devastating injuries or death. The costs of head-on accidents can be very expensive particularly if life long injuries are sustained or if death is the result. Head on collisions occur for many different reasons including driver errors, drunk driving, drowsy driving, distracted driving, unsafe passing on two-lane roads and speeding.
Rear-End Collisions
Approximately two and a half million rear-end accident happened every year which consists of about 80% of the total car accident in the US. Unfortunately, most of these accidents could be avoided if drivers maintained a proper following distance, traveled at a safe speed and paid attention. In attention is by and large the cause of most car accidents and specifically true for rear-end collisions. Distractions can include texting and driving, eating/drinking/smoking, adjusting radio/CD, using in-vehicle navigational devices and operation of cell phones. Speeding, tailgating, alcohol/drug use, running a yellow light, hazardous lane change, mechanical failure and insufficient braking area all factors in rear-end collisions as well. Injuries are generally thought to be low in these types of accidents, but that would be a misunderstanding. Accidents at a low rate of speed can still cause tremendous injury. Back and neck injuries are very common in rear-end collisions
What to Do After A Car Accident
If you are involved in a car accident, first seek medical treatment. Download our free iPhone/Droid application with easy steps to follow after an accident- "InjuryAttorney". It also lists by geographical location emergency lists such as hospitals, tow yards, and cab services. Be certain all victims of the collision have emergency medical care. If possible, get the contact information including names, addresses, phone numbers and insurance information of all drivers. Get names and contact information for witnesses. Get the name(s) of the officers working your accident so you may later get the police report. If possible, take pictures of the vehicles at the crash site. Call a personal injury attorney.
If you have been injured in a car accident, then you may need legal representation. Serious car accidents are usually investigated to determine all causes. However, not all accidents are investigated and you may have to contact a personal injury attorney to be certain that all causes are explored and all factors of liability are determined. Personal injury attorneys gather evidence and put your case together for liability and damages whether it is negotiating a claim with an insurance company for filing a suit. Contacting a personal injury attorney does not guarantee that you will have to sue someone. Being certain you have an experienced professional on your side sure helps when negotiating with an insurance company or other parties.
Our attorneys are available seven days a week to discuss your accident. Call (800)685-3302 or (314) 276-1681 for your free consultation.
Sources: Fire, emergency crews respond to multi-vehicle accident in Fenton. KMOV.com 1/27/14
Allinjuryattorney.com, The Cagle Law Firm, 2013