Vehicle accidents are one of the leading unnatural causes of death in the US. While most occur due to negligence or driving under the influence, there are also a handful of strange, inexplicable situations that are entirely out of human control.
“You would be shocked by all the strange, uncontrollable accidents that might befall you while driving,” warns Chopin Law Firm, a reputable New Orleans truck accident lawyer. According to these experts, some of these mishaps are so otherworldly that most people don’t know what to do when they occur.
Luckily, we decided to help you out. We’ll point out some of the most bizarre vehicle accidents that might happen to you on the road. Hopefully, knowing more about strange accidents will help you prepare for all eventualities while driving.
1. Animals
Drivers are well aware that vehicles kill thousands upon thousands of animals each year. These mishaps are so sad because, in most cases, you can’t do anything to save the life of an innocent little critter. Usually, an animal will dart in front of your car, bike, or truck, effectively killing itself in the blink of an eye.
Vehicle accidents that involve animals are much more common in rural areas, but they might also occur in cities. Remember that besides wild animals, you might also hit someone’s dog or cat, who just might be strolling around unsupervised.
The worst accidents for humans are those that involve bikes. For example, a bird might hit your helmet, causing you to fall down and, occasionally, leading to untimely driver death. Unfortunately, even if you have incredible reflexes, there’s little you can do in these cases.
2. Mechanical Breakdowns
A small percentage of vehicle accidents, approximately 2% of them, happen when one of your car or bike parts suddenly stops working. Mechanical failures can be every bit as unpredictable as some other incidents, although, in this particular case, humans have much more control.
Usually, the problem occurs due to prolonged wear and tear. Driving older vehicles is extremely dangerous, especially if you don’t perform regular maintenance. However, you might also suffer due to various defects.
The excellent news about mechanical breakdowns is that you have much more control compared to some other situations. By being proactive, you can significantly reduce the odds of suffering a crash due to a malfunctioning part.
3. Natural Disasters
Although many people experience accidents due to poor weather conditions, suffering a crash because of natural disasters is much less common. The reason why this type of mishap is so rare is that drivers usually have enough time to prepare for tornados, floods, and other disasters. Then again, there are also situations you can’t control, such as earthquakes, sinkholes, and landslides.
Sinkholes, in particular, can be sinister. A driver might hit a patch of a road that has completely dissolved over time, whether due to human activity or water. You would also be shocked by the number of people who die due to landslides in mountainous areas, which is something that might be partially prevented by local authorities.
4. Truck Accidents
Unlike your common car crashes, truck accidents are somewhat of a novelty, but they still occur. The reason why they’re so rare is because of the strict rules and policies that truck drivers undergo. These guys are some of the more diligent drivers, rarely getting drunk or tired behind the wheel.
The worst thing about truck accidents is how little control you have over the entire ordeal. A massive mechanical monster might ram into you, often causing instant death to everyone involved. So, the best thing you can do is to avoid vehicles that seem out of control and drivers who are speeding a bit too fast to your liking.
5. Train Accidents
If truck accidents were a rarity, train-related accidents are almost unheard of. Similar to truck mishaps, these accidents are usually deadly for a driver and all the passengers, even if a train is going slowly.
The only saving grace for train accidents is that most are preventable. You can easily tell if there’s a train crossing and react accordingly. As a driver, all you have to do is obey the road signs and other signals, and you’re good to go. There were also a few incidents in the US that occurred due to train malfunctions, but these aren’t something you should be worried about.
6. Rollovers
The worst type of car accident you might experience is a rollover. These are extremely rare, happening in only about 1.5% of cases, but they’re extremely deadly. As the name implies, these are all the road incidents where a car, whether due to hitting another vehicle or taking a sharp turn, rolls on its roof and, sometimes, takes a few additional tumbles.
Interestingly, rollovers are much more common when driving tall vehicles like vans, trucks, or SUVs. As they have a high center of gravity, they are more likely to swerve and fall awkwardly. Another tidbit about rollovers is that they commonly occur on country roads and zones with no speed limit, as they usually happen due to irresponsible driving.
That said, rollovers are one of the more preventable types of crashes. Simply adhering to the rules of the traffic can keep you safe, preventing these deadly accidents.
7. Self-Driving Vehicles
Although self-driving vehicles are somewhat new products, they’re already causing all sorts of havoc on the roads. So far, they’re the main culprits behind several hundred accidents in the US alone, which doesn’t sound like that much. However, if we consider there aren’t many of these vehicles out there, the percentage of accident involvement is relatively high.
There are lots of things that can go wrong with self-driving cars. For example, your vehicle might ram into another one, or it might go through a red light. Then again, it’s also worth noting that self-driving cars might save you on certain occasions. Anyway, you can avoid any risks with these vehicles by simply choosing a traditional car.
8. Head-On Collisions
Like rollovers, head-on collisions aren’t something that occurs frequently, as drivers won’t knowingly ram into each other. Due to the nature of the accident, head-on collisions are much more common when one or both drivers are drowsy or driving under the influence. They might also occur when one person drives recklessly in the opposite lane and the second driver doesn’t react properly.
However, there are also situations where head-on collisions aren’t a result of human error. For example, they might occur due to a medical emergency when one of the drivers can’t control their vehicle. Like most human-caused incidents, you can prevent these crashes by acting responsibly while behind the wheel.
Last Thoughts
The only good thing about these strange vehicle accidents is that most of them are under our control. By simply being more responsible, we can prevent most of these mishaps, ensuring that everyone on the road comes home safely.
