No-such-thing-as-a-car-accident

Why There’s No Such Thing As A Car Accident

Was It A Car Accident?

When most people hear a car crash described by a driver, an eye witness, or the news media, they often hear the collision referred to as an accident. In truth, describing an auto collision as an accident is a mistake that can often come with unintended implications and consequences. The term ‘accident’ in reference to a traffic collision, no matter how minor, actually implies that no party was at fault. For most people who have had the unfortunate experience of being involved in a car crash, the idea that no one was actually at fault probably won’t apply to their circumstances. However, in most reporting of collisions by the news media and even in some post collision insurance appraisals the idea that no one was at fault is still common.

Car Accident Vs Traffic Collision

This issue with the language used to describe traffic collisions can make it very difficult for the average driver to recognize when they or another driver is truly at fault. When we use the word accident to describe even a minor collision, there is a notion of a lack of intent to do harm that accompanies that assessment. For example, if a driver is texting at the wheel and rear ends the car in front of them, that driver certainly didn’t intend to do harm, but their careless actions led to the scenario where harm was done. When we think about it in this way, it makes more sense to say the person who was texting while driving caused a crash or collision, instead of saying they caused an accident.

There are other ways that the concept of no-fault is falsely applied to car crashes beyond referring to them as accidents. You may have heard some people describing a bus or a truck losing control on the news in the past. This, like calling a crash an accident, is another way people avoid placing blame, and in some cases it is done for the right reasons. News media often reports major collisions caused by these so-called out of control trucks or busses not long after the collision occurs, meaning they have to be careful about falsely placing blame on a careless driver before they have reported all the facts. In some cases, such as a crash caused by an intoxicated or distracted driver, blame can be readily placed, so stating that a car, bus or truck lost control not only makes no sense, it serves no meaningful purpose, and further contributes to the false assumption that everyone is a potential victim when no one is to blame.

Who’s Fault Was It?

When drivers are held more accountable for engaging in poor driving practices that lead to potentially fatal collisions on the road, we may soon see a reduction in car crashes not only in our local Vancouver and Richmond communities, but everywhere. Its pretty fair to assume that one wants to be a victim of a traffic collision, but no one wants to be blamed for causing a tragedy either. Changing our attitudes towards the way we refer to car crashes can actually go a long way towards creating more awareness amongst drivers on the road.

If you have recently been involved in an auto collision, and are in need of quality auto body repairs completed by a team of knowledgeable experts for a fair price, be sure to contact Grand City Auto body shop in Vancouver for a free estimate today!