Crash vs. Accident: Difference Between a Crash and Accident

What is the Difference Between A Crash and an Accident?

How a “crash” and an “accident” are characterised could make a huge difference in your case if you were involved in a car accident. Between the phrases “crash” and “accident,” there is a significant legal distinction. If you plan on pursuing your vehicle accident lawsuit in court, it’s crucial to recognise the distinction. Understanding the distinction between an accident and a crash could help your case.

Accident vs. Collision Definition

According to the law, an accident is what Merriam-Dictionary Webster’s defines as (source):

“an unforeseen event that results in loss or injury and is not the result of the affected person’s negligence or misconduct, but for which legal redress may be sought”

It is obvious that the concept of fault or wrongdoing is entirely eliminated from the situation. On Merriam-Webster, the definition of “crash” shows the exact opposite. You will notice that an event is caused by something else; in this instance, the terminology does not eliminate guilt or wrongdoing.

Accident vs. Crash

The word “accident” suggests that no one, in particular, is to blame for a car collision. This is seen in the expression “That was merely an accident,” which is frequently used. On the other hand, the word “crash” implies that someone was responsible for the auto accident or that it was their fault. The truth of the matter is that it is quite uncommon for a car accident to be purely an accident; typically, someone is to blame for the collision.

The Benefits of Car Accidents Over Car Collisions for Insurance Companies

One strategy that insurance companies frequently employ is to instantly label an automobile collision as such. In order to shift blame away from the motorist who caused the collision, they do this by immediately downplaying the car accident. They make the vehicle collision appear as if it was just an accident and no one is actually at fault since they don’t want to be held responsible for paying out a claim. Those of us who have ever been in an automobile accident, however, are aware that this is frequently not the case.

Shifting the Meaning of the Term “Accident” from Accident to Crash

There is a non-profit organisation named “We Save Lives” that has launched a campaign to stop referring to car accidents as accidents. In fact, they specify that an accident refers to “An unforeseen incident causing loss or harm which is not attributable to any fault or misbehavior on the part of the person injured yet for which legal compensation may be sought”. They make the argument that the word “accident” is inappropriate, particularly in light of the fact that most auto accidents are the result of driver error or negligence. Additionally, they draw attention to the statistic that human error accounts for 93% of accidents.

Also, the issue has gained support from other transportation departments. The Department of Transportation in Michigan has also gotten involved in the conflict. Even this educational movie on collisions versus accidents was produced by them.

Car Accident vs. Crash: Other Participants in the Struggle for Change

Yet, We Save Lives is not the only organisation that favors replacing the word accident with a crash. In fact, they also established the need for a change in vocabulary in an essay titled Motor Vehicle Collision versus Accident: A Shift in Language Is Required which was published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress.

Preventable collision

When determining who is ultimately to blame for the car accident, the distinction between a crash and an accident matters greatly. In most cases, a car accident that is caused by negligence was avoidable. A collision that could have been avoided, according to the National Safety Council, is one in which the driver did not take all practical precautions. This indicates that if the driver had acted responsibly, the accident might have been prevented. This implies that someone caused the car accident and that this person may be held accountable for it.

Checklist for What to Do Following a Vehicle Accident

Knowing what to do following an accident will help you avoid jeopardizing your ability to retain legal counsel to effectively represent your interests. Oftentimes, small errors are committed that have disastrous effects on your case. It is particularly terrible when a loved one perishes in a car accident for no fault of their own and a lawyer has to inform the family that there is no case because of errors made after the event. Follow this straightforward checklist of what to do after a car accident to avoid getting into this position.

After a Car Accident Checklist:

• Moving to safety is advised after an automobile collision, but fleeing at the scene is not.
• Call 911 so that a sheriff or police officer, as well as medical staff, can be sent to the scene.
• As soon as you can, capture images and video of the crime scene. This is a photo of each automobile and each one’s licence plate from the collision.
• Never move anything inside your car or the car itself. The vehicle crash’s aftermath is now considered evidence. If you are forced to move the car, be sure nothing has been changed or disrupted from how it was before the collision. Ask that the car be taken to a secure storage location as well.
• Get the contact details of every crash participant.
• Never accept blame or admit wrongdoing.
• Contact to a car accident lawyer.

For a car accident that wasn’t my fault, should I get counsel?

Whoever makes the strongest case in court will ultimately win the case as to who is to blame for an automobile accident (or whose attorney). In all honesty, it’s too difficult for you to determine who the culprit is on your own. To decide whether you were at responsibility for the vehicle accident, you need a skilled accident lawyer. 

Difference Between Crash vs. Accident: Conclusion

Understanding the distinction between a crash and an accident might determine whether you have a case or not. You are much more prepared to ensure that you do not endanger your automobile accident case now that you are equipped with the knowledge and are aware of the distinction between a crash and an accident, as well as what to do immediately after the accident. And the next time you’re in a car accident, make sure you refer to it as a collision rather than an accident by using the proper nouns.