Road collision types

Road traffic collisions generally fall into one of five common types:

A Mercury Tracer that was damaged by colliding with a white-tailed deer in Wisconsin

Other types of collision may occur. Rollovers are not very common, but lead to greater rates of severe injury and death. Some of these are secondary events that occur after a collision with a run-off-road crash or a collision with another vehicle.

If several vehicles are involved, the term 'serial crash' may be used. If many vehicles are involved, the term 'major incident' may be used rather than 'pile up'.