Types of Traffic Collisions 

No one leaves home expecting to be involved in a car wreck, but according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 6.74 million police-reported car accidents in 2019, which makes for approximately 17,000 car accidents in the US daily. From encounters with distracted drivers to hazardous road conditions, perils can be found around every corner. Vehicle collisions leave most cars involved in need of auto repairs and auto body work. If you’ve been in a vehicle accident, a primer on common types of traffic collisions can help you understand what your insurance adjuster, mechanic or Caliber Collision technician is talking about when discussing needed repairs.

Rear-end traffic collisions 

You’re stopped at a stoplight when a car comes out of nowhere and rams your vehicle from behind. This type of dangerous collision is all too common, with studies showing that roughly 29 percent of all wrecks on today’s roadways are rear-end collisions. These types of collisions range in severity, but even those that appear to be minor can be quite serious to your car’s structure. The angle at which your vehicle is struck often influences the extent and type of damage that occurs.

A rear-end collision can impact more than just the look of your car and its Blue Book value, which refers to the value of a vehicle by a guide known as the Kelley Blue Book. The guide not only lists the value of new vehicles, but it also lists used car values. Since the 1920s, the Kelley Blue Book has served as a standard within the auto industry in the United States. The damage can also affect the functionality of your vehicle and make it unsafe to drive. Following a rear-end traffic collision, it’s not uncommon to see:

• Problems with alignment. The vehicle may vibrate, pull to the side, or steer noisily. You may also notice that the tires squeal for no reason and the steering wheel may take on a crooked appearance. Alignment that’s even slightly off can put a strain on your car’s suspension, tires and brakes, resulting in more rapid wear.
•  Engine damage. Depending on the force of the impact, a rear-end collision may affect your vehicle’s drivetrain. It may literally push the exhaust system forward, causing damage to the muffler, manifold and even the catalytic converter. Because the transmission components for RWD and AWD cars are located near the rear of the vehicle, transmission damage can occur as well.
• Suspension troubles. The impact from a rear-end hit can result in damage to the frame of your car, which in turn stresses your car’s suspension system, including its struts and shocks. A car with an improperly working suspension system can become hard to control, jeopardizing your safety and that of your car’s occupants.

Side-impact or T-bone traffic collisions

Side-impact collisions are also known as T-bone collisions because this type of accident involves one vehicle striking the side of another, creating a “T” shape when sketched on an accident report. T-bone impacts can cause minor to extensive damage, depending on the force of the impact and the speed of the at-fault vehicle, among other factors.

In general, expect to see necessary repairs that range from window replacement for side windows to car door and panel replacement. Structural damage to the frame is not uncommon; damage to the vehicle’s chassis can render the vehicle unsafe to drive and result in the need for extensive repairs.

Head-on traffic collisions

Head-on vehicle collisions — when two cars collide head on — can cause the most extensive damage to vehicles involved, and many vehicles involved in crashes of this nature are considered totaled in lieu of repairs. 

Damage from a front-end traffic collision is typically widespread, and the faster and harder the impact, the worse the damage. Internal issues are a big problem with head-on crashes, including damage to major structural components such as the engine, the transmission, driving mechanisms, steering and, of course, the body of the car.

In addition to more minor damage like cracked windshields and dented bumpers, the most common concerns seen with front-end crashes include:

• Damage to the body and frame. While a front-end fender bender may result in little more than minor cosmetic damage, more serious frontal impacts can lead to major body and frame damage. A total loss of the car due to these structural issues is possible.
• Problems with the engine and transmission. It’s not unusual to see a car impacted so severely during a front-end crash that it pushes the vehicle’s structure and frame from front to back, leading to major damage to the most important components under the hood.
• Steering and driving mechanism damage. Impacts to the front end can lead to damage of structures and parts such as the driveshaft, transaxle, and CV axle, all of which are costly to repair or replace.
• Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) re-calibration. After an accident, it’s imperative that the Advanced Driver-Safety Systems, like blind spot monitoring and collision avoidance, work exactly as designed to keep you and other drivers safe. If your vehicle’s safety sensors require calibration, we use Protech, one of the leaders in the calibration industry. 

Experienced local collision repair

If you’ve been involved in a collision, file a claim with your auto insurance carrier, and then schedule an appointment with your local Caliber Collision location. Caliber Collision repairs cars so they’re back to pre-collision condition. We’re a preferred partner of the nation’s leading vehicle manufacturers and all major insurance carriers. Our I-CAR Gold Class certified technicians receive ongoing comprehensive, industry-recognized training and utilize the latest technology to ensure that we restore your car back to manufacturer standards. If your vehicle sensors require calibration, we’ve partnered with Protech - the nation’s most trusted provider of scanning and calibration services, And, we stand behind our work on every vehicle with a written limited lifetime warranty.