Traffic collision

A traffic collision occurs when a vehicle strikes another object.

This object might be another vehicle or a pedestrian. It could also be an animal or road debris. A vehicle may hit a stationary obstruction like a tree, a pole, or a building.

These events often result in physical injury, disability, or death. They also cause significant property damage and financial costs. While road transport is statistically a dangerous daily activity, these tragedies often receive less media attention than other types of events.

There is a major debate regarding the terminology used to describe these events. Many organizations now avoid the word "accident."

This is because "accident" implies an event was unavoidable. Most collisions result from preventable factors like driver error or poor road design. In 2016, the Associated Press recommended using "crash" or "collision" instead. The American Automobile Association also voted to replace "car accident" with "car crash" in 2021. Some critics argue that changing the language creates a culture of blame. They worry this might discourage people from disclosing facts needed to find root causes.

Collisions can be classified into several distinct types. These include head-on collisions, where vehicles hit front-to-front. There are also rear-end collisions and side collisions. Road departures occur when a vehicle leaves the roadway. Rollovers happen when a vehicle flips onto its side or roof. Some collisions are even intentional. These may include vehicle-ramming attacks, staged crashes for insurance fraud, or vehicular homicide. In other cases, a driver may commit vehicular suicide.

Human factors are responsible for a vast majority of these incidents. A 1985 study suggested that driver factors alone caused 57% of crashes. When combined with roadway or vehicle factors, human error contributes to about 93% of all crashes. Leading causes include speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Distracted driving is also a major risk factor. Drivers using mobile devices have a much higher risk of crashing. Specifically, texting while driving makes a person 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash. Dialing a phone increases that risk by 12 times. Reading or writing while driving increases the risk by ten times.

Demographic differences exist in collision rates. Young male drivers often feature disproportionately in collisions. This is frequently linked to attitudes toward risk. While older drivers may have slower reaction speeds, they tend to drive more cautiously. Consequently, they often drive less frequently than younger drivers. Many drivers suffer from overconfidence. An RAC survey found that 78% of British drivers believed they were highly skilled. Most also believed they were better drivers than others. This perception can be dangerous if it leads to risky behavior.

Global statistics highlight the scale of the issue. In 2013, 54 million people worldwide sustained injuries from traffic collisions. That same year, 1.4 million people died.

This was an increase from the 1.1 million deaths recorded in 1990. About 68,000 of these deaths involved children under five years old. Middle-income countries have the highest death rates, with 20 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. These countries account for 80% of all road fatalities. Africa has the highest death rate at 24.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. Europe has the lowest rate at 10.3 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The effects of a collision can be both physical and psychological. Physical injuries result from blunt force trauma. These range from simple bruising to catastrophic injuries like paralysis or cardiac arrest.

In the United States, the CDC estimates roughly 100 people die in crashes every day. Beyond physical harm, survivors may experience long-lasting psychological trauma. This can cause a fear of driving again. Such trauma can make it difficult to attend school or perform work responsibilities. Addressing these risks involves improving vehicle design, road infrastructure, and enforcing safety laws like seat belt use.