The most common types of auto accidents

Car accidents can occur anytime, anywhere. They’re definitely no fun, and sometimes they can be deadly. Take a look at this list of three of the most common types of auto accidents. It’s a great guide for what NOT to do while you’re on the road:

Out-of-lane collisions. Trying to change lanes at the same time another vehicle is trying to do the same thing often results in a collision. Or accidentally drifting out of one lane and into another. Or trying to change lanes and there’s someone in the blind spot. Most often, these types of accidents are caused by drivers paying more attention to what’s going on inside their car than what is happening on the road. Looking in the back seat, adjusting your car’s stereo, calling someone on your cell phone, eating, having an argument with a passenger — they all can take your attention away from safe driving. ‘Inattention’ is the leading cause of out-of-lane collisions, according to industry data.

Single-vehicle collisions. The second most common type of accident is a single-vehicle collision. That’s when a driver skids off the road or out of their lane and collides with a fence, tree, house or anything other than another car. The top reason for these types of accidents is driving too fast for weather conditions. You’ll want to drive more slowly during snowy, icy and rainy weather. Many drivers don’t.

Rear-end collisions. Rear-end collisions are the third most common at-fault accidents, and these types of crashes are often caused by tailgating, or driving too close behind another vehicle. Under normal driving conditions, it’s recommended drivers should maintain at least one car length back for every 10 miles of driving speed. So, if someone is driving 50 miles per hour, it’s ideal to keep at least five car lengths behind. When the weather is bad, you’ll want to maintain even more space between you and other drivers.