Which Types of Car Accidents Are Most Common?

11 years, 10 months ago - 14 February 2013, Wall Street Journal

Drivers worry often about getting involved in collisions with other cars, the resulting damage and the cost of repairs. But there are other road hazards, from trees and potholes to animals, which cause expensive damage but often are overlooked.

According to a study by CarInsurance.com, a site that provides auto insurance data and shopping tools consumers, the classic two-car accident accounted for less than half of the incidents reported by people looking for insurance.

For the survey, CarInsurance.com looked at more than 42,000 online auto insurance quotes given from Sept. 1, 2011, to Feb. 5, 2013. The quotes were for collision, comprehensive and liability coverage on single-vehicle policies for drivers reported an incident in the preceding five years.

The company said more than one third of the all incidents involve things like hitting a parked car, damage from weather, vandalism, hitting animals or road debris. Different types of accidents affect one’s insurance rates differently. For example, while hitting a deer or a tree might result in similar damage, hitting the tree is more likely to make your rates rise.

The following is a list of ways vehicles are damaged, according to reports from drivers, and the percentage of incidents they represent:

Struck another car: 22.7%
Another car struck me: 22.2%
Single-car accident: 7.9%
Act of nature: 5.8%
Struck parked car or tree: 5.4%
Car struck while parked: 5.0%
Debris or other non-accident damage (such as hitting a pothole): 2.9%
Vandalism: 2.4%
Struck animal: 2.4%
Windshield or glass: 2.2%
Theft of car/theft of parts: 1.5%
Hit a pedestrian: 0.4%