Common Car Accident Scenarios — Causes & Determining Fault

Car accidents might seem like random events in Fort Worth, TX. But they often fall into a few prevalent car crash scenarios. These scenarios help road designers identify and address dangerous roads and intersections.

Common car crash scenarios can also help injury lawyers and insurance adjusters sort through the aftermath of the crash. The type of crash can tell you the likely injuries and who was liable for the accident. Learn more about some common car accident scenarios, causes, and determining fault.

Contact our law firm at (817) 294-1900 to schedule your free initial consultation with a Fort Worth car accident lawyer.

How Anderson Injury Lawyers Can Assist Following a Car Accident in Fort Worth, TX

How Anderson Injury Lawyers Can Assist Following a Car Accident in Fort Worth, TX

Anderson Injury Lawyers has been serving accident victims in Fort Worth, Texas, since 2007. Over the past 16 years, our Fort Worth car accident lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for injured clients.

When you hire Anderson Injury Lawyers, we will:

  • Provide a free consultation, listen to your story, and explain your legal options
  • Start working on your case without any upfront fees
  • Stand up to insurers to either settle your case or litigate it in court

You might have significant damages to your finances and health after you suffer a car accident injury. Contact Anderson Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss the injury compensation you can seek after your car crash.

Traffic Accident Statistics for Fort Worth, Texas

When you run a query on the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS), you will find that Fort Worth had 15,497 total traffic accidents in 2022, including single-vehicle accidents, pedestrian crashes, and bicycle collisions.

CRIS allows you to filter crashes by the type of collision. In 2022, Fort Worth had 11,365 collisions between multiple vehicles. This number includes collisions between motorcycles, cars, and commercial trucks.

Of these, 3,942 crashes caused injury or death, according to CRIS. These crashes would typically involve an injury claim in which you need to understand the cause of the crash and who was at fault.

Determining the Cause and Fault in Common Car Accident Scenarios in Fort Worth

Texas classifies car accident scenarios in a few ways. You can classify crashes based on the traffic violation that caused the crash. These crash scenarios include speeding accidents, distracted driving collisions, and drunk driving crashes/DUI crashes.

You can also classify car accidents based on where they happen. Road crashes happen for different reasons than intersection crashes. And interstate highways usually have different causes than crashes on city streets.

Finally, you can classify car crashes based on the motion of the vehicles. Rear-end, angle, and sideswipe collisions have unique causes and fault determinations.

Some common car accident scenarios include:

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end crashes are the most common type of crash in the U.S. These crashes happen when a car runs into the rear area of the car in front of it. Rear-end collisions often happen due to:

  • Following too closely
  • Distracted driving
  • Speeding
  • Passing unsafely

These crashes can cause severe neck, back, and face injuries. Whiplash, for example, is a common injury from a rear-end crash.

The fault for a rear-end collision falls on the driver who failed to leave enough space. This is typically the rear driver, but the front driver can also be liable as well under certain circumstances.

Distracted Driving Crashes

Distracted driving and driver inattention caused over 25,000 traffic accidents in Texas in 2021. Distractions prevent you from reacting to traffic or road hazards because they take your eyes, hands, and mind away from driving.

Common distractions include:

  • Electronic device use
  • Eating or drinking
  • Talking to passengers
  • Daydreaming

The fault for distracted driving accidents usually falls on the distracted driver. But the other driver could contribute to the accident by speeding, running a red light, or performing other dangerous actions.

Intersection Accidents

Intersection crashes almost always happen when someone fails to yield the right of way. This failure can occur in a few scenarios, such as:

  • Running a red light or stop sign
  • Proceeding through the intersection before cross-traffic clears
  • Turning left into the path of an oncoming vehicle
  • Turning right out of turn at a red light or stop sign
  • Unsafe U-turns

Intersection accidents can cause serious head, neck, chest, or abdomen injuries. The fault for these accident injuries usually falls on the driver who failed to yield.

Lane Departure Collisions

Lane departures include intentional actions, like changing lanes unsafely, and unintentional actions, such as lane drift. These crashes usually take the form of a sideswipe crash where the side of one vehicle hits the side of another vehicle.

These crashes usually produce only minor injuries like chest bruises from a seat belt impact. The fault for lane departure crashes falls on the driver who failed to stay in their lane.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Fort Worth Car Crash Lawyers

You must prove the cause and legal fault for your crash to win an injury claim. Contact Anderson Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your car accident and how an experienced Fort Worth car crash lawyer can prove the other driver’s liability.

Other common types of car accident cases we handle include:

Additional Fort Worth Car Accident Resources