Should a Car Crash Really Be Called an “Accident”?
If another vehicle slams into yours and you’ve been seriously hurt, were you involved in a car crash or an accident? Does it matter what we call it? In fact, it does. Terminology matters and the words we use to describe what happened can have a significant impact on your personal injury case.
What is an Accident?
If you look up the word “accident” in Merriam-Webster, you’ll find several common definitions for the term:
● An unforeseen and unplanned circumstance or event
● An unexpected happening causing loss or injury
The word accident implies that the collision happened due to random chance. In other words, no one was at fault. This is rarely the case when one vehicle collides with another. Most of these events are entirely preventable.
Why Using the Term “Accident” is Controversial
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nearly all car crashes result from driver behavior, such as distracted driving, drinking, speeding, and other reckless activities. Knowing this, calling major collisions “accidents” has become controversial. After all, it implies that no one is taking responsibility for the incident because it was just an unfortunate event and not due to another driver’s negligence.
It’s easy enough to see that distracted driving and drunk driving aren’t “accidents.” After all, drivers know better than to text or drink and driver. If they do it anyway and someone gets hurt, they should be held responsible for the other party’s losses.
Using the Term “Crash” Instead
In 1994, the NHTSA insisted that these types of collisions be referred to as “crashes.” And others are following suit. In 2013, the San Francisco and New York police departments changed the language in their reports to a “crash report” instead of an “accident report.” And today, roughly 30 state departments of transportation have now moved away from using the term “accident.” Even the Associated Press has instructed its reporters to avoid using the term “accident” in stories where negligence in a car crash was proven or claimed.
Most People Are Involved in a Car Crash
The truth is that most collisions between two vehicles are someone’s fault. Someone neglected to do something or did something wrong that caused the crash, and they should be held accountable by paying damages. This is why we have auto insurance and personal injury cases.
You might still hear these events referred to as “accidents” in casual conversation because that’s still how people talk about them. But, make no mistake, using the right terminology when dealing with an insurance company or in civil court can have an impact. If you’ve been hurt through no fault of your own, you may notice that you will get a different reaction when you refer to your “car crash” or “wreck.”
Differentiating between a car crash and an accident can mean the difference between having a strong case and one that will be challenging. Now that you have some knowledge about the difference between these terms, you’ll be better equipped to pursue your claim. But you’ll have the best chance at obtaining maximum recovery if you work with an experienced car accident injury lawyer who will fight for your interests.