Like any large metropolitan area, Chicago has its share of automobile accidents. Although every car accident is different, most fall within common groups that occur with great frequency. Listed below are the five most common car accidents in Chicago.
- Rear End Collisions: Rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accidents, both in Chicago as well as nationwide. Figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that rear-end collisions accounted for in excess of 40% of the collisions in the United States in 2014. A rear end collision occurs when a car strikes the car in front of it, most often in heavy traffic around rush hour. Rear end collisions are much more likely to involve multiple vehicles than other types of accidents, as they often result in one car hitting the car in front of it in a process that often repeats itself as each car in a line is propelled into the car in front of it. The type of damage caused by rear-end collisions typically involves heavy damage to the front and rear of the vehicle, as the vehicle crumples like an accordion. Injuries most commonly suffered in a rear-end collision include whiplash
- Intersection Collisions: Intersection collisions occur when a driver going in the opposite direction strikes a driver who is attempting to make a left-hand turn. These types of collisions can also occur if a motorist is rushing to make it somewhere and they run a red light straight into traffic that is traveling perpendicularly. These accidents can be extremely dangerous both from the perspective of the damage caused as well as the injuries that victims of intersection collisions suffer, as the cars involved in these types of collisions most often are traveling at high rates of speed. Avoiding intersectional collisions is one of the main reasons why it is so important to always look both ways before you enter an intersection, as a car could be barreling towards you from the opposite direction and you might not even know it if you did not look.
- Collisions with Pedestrians: Sadly, car accidents involving pedestrians are all too common in Chicago. These often occur around schools or in zones with large numbers, like the Loop around rush hour or late at night in some of the city’s most popular nightspots. These types of accidents have the potential to be catastrophic for a pedestrian because the pedestrian is completely exposed and vulnerable to a vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds and often carries a huge amount of force when it hits a pedestrian. The commonplace nature of these accidents in Chicago is one reason why it is so important that pedestrians always exercise caution when walking in parts of the city with heavy vehicle traffic.
- Single Vehicle Collisions: A single vehicle collision is the name given to a crash that involves one vehicle and typically occurs when that vehicle leaves the roadway and strikes something along the side of the road. This usually is a tree, guardrail, debris on the roadside, or a street sign. Single vehicle collisions disproportionately involve alcohol consumption by the driver or feature a driver who is using his or her cell phone and loses control of their vehicle. These types of collisions can be extremely hazardous for the driver and any passengers in the vehicle due to the lack of shock absorption provided by trees and many of the other objects that are involved when a motorist strikes a roadside object.
- Low Speed Collisions: If you have ever hit a parked car, you were involved in this type of collision. Low-speed collisions often take place on crowded streets when motorists are traveling at low rates of speed. They can also take place in a full parking when drivers are jostling for position or fighting to be the first to an open parking space. Low-speed collisions typically do not involve either substantial personal injuries or damage to a vehicle due to the slow speeds at which they typically occur.
Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. Can Help If You’ve Been Involved In Any Type Of Car Accident
The experienced personal injury and attorneys of Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. is here to assist any resident of the Chicago area who has been involved in a car accident, no matter what kind. At Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C., we are experienced personal injury and attorneys who have represented thousands of residents of the metropolitan Chicago area in connection with their auto accident claims.
Our lawyers for car accidents serve clients throughout the Chicago area, including Aurora, Elgin, Hinsdale, Joliet, Naperville, and Waukegan. For a free consultation with one of Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C.’s experienced and aggressive personal injury and attorneys, please do not hesitate to contact us at (312) 236-2900.
