What Are the Types of Highway Accidents, and How Can They Be Prevented?

At high speeds and with countless surrounding vehicles, highway accidents in New Jersey can turn your life upside-down in mere seconds. But if you know the most common types of highway accidents and how to prevent them, you can protect yourself and your loved one’s emotional stability, financial security, and physical safety. Let our Monmouth County car accident lawyers at Rebenack Aronow & Mascolo L.L.P. walk you through what you need to know.

What Are the Most Common Types of Highway Accidents?

Rear-end collisions occur when one vehicle strikes the vehicle directly in front of it, frequently precipitated by a driver who follows too closely or fails to notice a change in traffic flow. These collisions account for approximately 29% of all serious vehicle crashes.

Alternatively, sideswipe accidents happen when two vehicles traveling in the same or opposite directions make lateral contact. To mitigate the chance of these collisions, always head check your blind spots before changing lanes. While sometimes appearing minor, sideswipes can cause drivers to lose control and trigger more serious secondary collisions.

Collisions can involve more than two vehicles: Multi-vehicle pileups often happen because of poor visibility conditions or an unforeseen large obstacle on the road. The danger of these pileups multiplies with each additional vehicle involved, as each car involved can sustain an impact multiple times from different directions.

Top-heavy vehicles like SUVs or trucks are at higher risk of rollover crashes, which occur when a vehicle takes a curve at high speeds or turns suddenly and flips onto its side or roof.

Lastly, head-on collisions occur when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide front-to-front. These usually happen because of one car’s driving on the wrong side of the road.

What Factors Often Contribute to Highway Accidents?

Speeding and aggressive driving reduce your reaction time and increase stopping distance, and speed-related crashes tend to result in more severe injuries. Obey all posted warning signs to minimize the risk of serious injury, and maintain at least a three-second following distance from the vehicle ahead. In adverse weather or when following larger vehicles, increase this gap to approximately five or six seconds.

If you need to use your phone, adjust the radio, eat, or take any action that diverts your attention from the road, pull over first. Engaging in distracted driving can result in catastrophic consequences; for reference, taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds while traveling at 55 mph is equivalent to driving the length of a football field while blindfolded.

If you feel tired or fatigued, this exhaustion can impair your judgment, slow your reaction times, and cause you to behave similarly to a person under the influence of alcohol. And just like driving under the influence of alcohol, exhaustion-related accidents cause numerous preventable highway tragedies each year. Pull over and rest, or have a passenger take over for the time being.

Why Is It Important to Contact a Car Accident Lawyer After a Highway Accident?

When you understand the common causes of highway accidents and start practicing defensive driving habits, you will significantly improve your chances of safety on New Jersey’s highways. But even the most careful drivers sometimes find themselves victims of others’ negligence, and just because you drove safely, it does not make the financial and emotional toll any lighter.

Accident victims who hire lawyers receive settlements that are, on average, 3.5 times larger than those who negotiate alone. A competent car accident lawyer in your area will know the full scope of damages you can demand, including ‘economic’ damages to cover your medical bills, and ‘non-economic’ damages to address your pain and suffering. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer will also explain your legal rights, help determine who may be liable for your damages, handle all complex paperwork and legal procedures, and let you focus on recovery.

Protect Your Rights with the Monmouth County Car Accident Lawyers at Rebenack Aronow & Mascolo L.L.P.

If you get into a highway accident, trust the experienced Monmouth County car accident lawyers at Rebenack Aronow & Mascolo L.L.P. to fight for your rights. We pride ourselves on our commitment to building strong relationships with our clients, and to date, we have secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Call us today at 732-247-3600 or contact us online for a free consultation. With office locations in New Brunswick, Somerville, and Manalapan, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, and Somerset County.