Most Common Types of Automobile Crashes in Pennsylvania

Encompassing 67 counties with approximately 2,500 municipalities and only one town, Pennsylvania has more than 120,000 miles of roads and highways. Traversing these roadways are several thousand cars, trucks, buses, and other road-legal vehicles. The busy streets lead to car accidents occurring in Pennsylvania every single day.

Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported that there were 110,382 reportable crashes in the state. As many as 1,209 people died in these crashes, and 66,563 people suffered injuries.

When a motor vehicle crash happens, they are investigated and reported on by the Pennsylvania State Police as well as the 1,1000 local municipal police departments near the accident site. The information gathered by law enforcement is used to track and establish statistics on motor vehicle accidents throughout the state. For example, despite the current data showing that the total number of motor vehicle accidents has decreased, fatalities were much higher than in previous years.

Even though all types of accidents take place each year in Pennsylvania, there are some that tend to happen more than others. Certain types of crashes tend to be extremely deadly and dangerous.

What Crashes Happen Most Often in Pennsylvania

As high as 99.9 billion vehicle miles were traveled on roads and highways across Pennsylvania. With all of the traffic on the roads, crashes happen frequently. On a typical day, a total of 302 crashes are reported, which means that 13 crashes are reported each hour. Every day, people lose their lives in car accidents, and when examining the most recent data, that means that three people die per day.

The following crash types were reported:

• A non-collision is a harmful event that does not involve a crash into a fixed or non-fixed object, such as fires or overturned vehicles.
• Angle crashes which take place at a point of junction like an intersection.
• Rear-end crashes happen when the front of one vehicle collides with the rear of another vehicle while both vehicles are driving in the same direction and on the same road.
• Head-on crashes happen when two vehicles collide in the front while traveling on the same road but in opposite directions.
• Sideswipe crashes happen when vehicles' sides collide while traveling in the same direction on the same road.
• Hit-fixed object crashes happen when a vehicle slams into a stationary object, such as a tree.
• Hit Non-Motorist crashes happen when a vehicle collides with another person who is not in a vehicle, like a bicyclist.
• Backing up crashes where a vehicle hits another car in reverse.

Of the 110,382 reportable crashes, angle crashes were the most common responsible for 33,168 crashes. Hit-fixed object crashes were next with 31,176 crashes, and the third was rear-ended crashes with 21,055 crashes. The fewest number of crashes that were reported were backing-up crashes, with 354.

Speak with an Attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP

If you were injured in a Pennsylvania car accident, you may be able to file an injury claim for compensation. Please call Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP today at (215) 731-9900 and schedule a free consultation with a Pennsylvania car accident attorney.