Accidents are part and parcel of Malaysian roads. Many of us may have encountered at least one accident from when we started driving until today. Whether you have been involved in an accident or not, it’s imperative to take note of some of the most common types of road accidents in Malaysia.
Here is a quick look at 10 of them to help you understand the accident’s severity, so you can avoid them when driving.
Single-vehicle accident
The most common road accident in Malaysia would have to be a single-vehicle accident. This collision happens when drivers lose control of their vehicle, hitting an object or person in one or more ways. Drunk driving, speeding and disobeying traffic rules are the top reasons for this accident. Till today single-vehicle accident remains a leading contributor to the total number of road accidents in Malaysia.
Multiple vehicle accident
Compared to the above, a multiple-vehicle collision involves two or more vehicles simultaneously. Besides negligence, multiple vehicle accidents often happen as drivers follow each other too closely without maintaining a safe distance. When one of the drivers hits a sudden brake, a chain of collisions can be triggered, leading to vehicle pile-up on the road.
Head-on collision
A head-on collision is often categorised as the most dangerous type of road accident as it can lead to fatalities or severe injuries in most cases, especially if it occurs at high speed. The impact between vehicles can be devastating, resulting in extreme damage to cars with high repair costs.
Rear-end collision
Also known as back collisions by some people, read-end collisions occur when a vehicle hits the back of another car. Typically, it involves a slow-moving vehicle and a fast-moving vehicle. As such, speeding is the common culprit behind this type of accident. Driving in the wrong lane with the wrong speed limit can also be a cause.
Vehicle rollover
Yet another dangerous type of accident, and one that’s becoming more common on Malaysian roads, is vehicle rollover. A rollover happens when a high-speed vehicle loses control, flips over, and falls on its roof. It can be fatal to drivers and passengers, who are at immediate risk of terrible injuries. During a rollover, drivers and passengers can also be stuck in vehicles and getting out can be difficult.
Low-speed accident
Accidents often happen because of speeding. But can low-speed result in accidents? The answer is YES because the impact angle determines the accident’s severity. Other than vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists are the common victims of low-speed accidents. Though the impact may not be as severe as rollovers and head-on collisions, they can still lead to casualties in some cases.
Merging accidents
Drivers merging into lanes on highways and congested roads can cause merging accidents if they don’t maintain a proper speed or if they fail to check their blind spots from time to time. This accident is common in big cities and towns where bad traffic conditions exist.
Side-impact collision
Side-impact, or T-bone collision, is a type of road accident when one vehicle hits the other perpendicularly. It’s called a T-bone collision because the cars involved form a T-shape during the collision. As the name suggests, T-bone collisions typically occur at junctions where vehicles move in multiple directions.
Sideswipe collision
Sideswipe accidents happen between vehicles that move in the same direction. Think about a car on your right slowly creeping into your lane or a driver trying to switch lanes without any indicator lights. These situations can lead to sideswipes where one vehicle hits the sides of the other.
Blind spot accident
Compared to other types of accidents, blind spot collisions can be hard to avoid, especially if it involves small vehicles like motorbikes and small cars. Blind spot accidents are an immediate result of driver error which is the failure to check blindspots consistently before changing or merging lanes. So, be sure to check that blind spot at all times to avoid this.
Road accidents in Malaysia
As you can see, road accidents can occur in so many ways. Hence, it’s crucial that as a driver, you know the differences between each type and learn to avoid them whenever you are driving.
Accidents in Malaysia cause the loss of thousands of lives each year and severe injuries that lead to permanent disabilities. If we all can be more mindful of our driving behaviour on the road, we can certainly improve the safety of our roads in the future.
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