What are the Most Common Types of Car Accidents in West Virginia?
Car accidents are uniquely traumatic. Not only do they disrupt your day and potentially ruin your car, but they can also result in legal or financial complications.
No two cases are identical, but they all have one thing in common: to navigate the legal system successfully after a crash, you need qualified legal counsel. Our firm has witnessed all forms of accidents. In this article, we provide an overview of what is out there and how to proceed after various types of collisions.
Note that this list is designed to serve only as a guide. Your type of car accident with another vehicle will be unique. You need legal advice specific to the kind of accident you experienced.
That said, there are post-accident patterns that can be useful in informing your actions. Below, we will explore all the primary considerations you need to keep in mind during common car accident scenarios.
Single Vehicle Crashes – Losing Control
While multi-car pileups grab news headlines, single-car accidents account for 25% of all West Virginia collisions annually. Most stem from drivers losing control – often through no genuine fault of their own.
Common factors include blown tires, poor road conditions like ice, avoidance maneuvers forcing off-road deviations, or struggling to realign after wind gusts. The realities of physics take over fast once stability escapes. Rural roads see higher rates based on limited lighting, curves, and elevation changes.
In other cases, distractions like phones draw focus from proper steering. Fatigue dulls reaction times to drift gradually and course correcting before ultimately careening out of line. Of course, intoxication remains a prime culprit as well -distorting judgment and blurring perceptions.
Regardless of the cause, single-car events commonly produce rollovers or result in severe injury by way of airbag deployment.
While single-car incidents often entail some loss of driver vehicle control, crashes with external vehicles introduce broader liability questions – who drove negligently? Determining fault requires deeper investigations of pre-impact driving decisions by all parties.
The most frequent multi-car accident remains rear impacts. They account for 28% of all crashes. Often, the driver behind carries a more significant duty avoiding this since they are expected to react to and maintain a safe distance from cars ahead. Exceptions, when lead drivers swerve unexpectedly, do exist.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are the least common but the most dangerous. They account for just 2% of wrecks. However, the survival rate is also the lowest for this type of accident. Before airbags, only 25% of people involved in head-on collisions survived the accident.
While vehicle safety technology has improved that outlook slightly, the odds still aren’t good. Going at highway speeds, only 1/4 of people survive head-on collisions.
Head-on conflicts often emerge from dangerous passing attempts on two-lane roads. But crossing the center line drifting from fatigue, intoxication, or distraction produces avoidable tragedy as well.
Side Impact T-Bones
Side impact T-bones occur when a car is struck at a side angle–usually while crossing an intersection. Because it often involves high speeds, physical injury and car damage are often significant.
Liability depends on who behaved negligently. Did the oncoming car fail to yield to the turning vehicle? Or was the car that got struck at fault for making its turn out of sequence?
The answer to these questions will often determine who is legally liable for the accident.
Were You Hurt in a Car Accident in West Virginia?
If you were involved in a car accident, seeking legal representation may not be the first thing on your radar. But while it can be challenging to find the motivation, proper counsel is an essential next step in minimizing liability and ensuring that you receive adequate damages compensation.
Contact Miley Legal so we can help with your next steps.
