Common Types of Car Accidents in Georgia

Underwood Law LLC | January 6, 2026 | Car Accident

Car accidents happen every day on Georgia’s busy roads and highways.

Understanding the most common types of car accidents can help you recognize the risks you face as a driver and know what to do if you’re involved in a collision. It’s also important to consider your legal rights.

If you suffered injuries in a Georgia auto accident, consulting an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible can protect your right to seek compensation from the at-fault party.

Common Types of Car Accidents

Accident victims are hurt in a wide range of collisions, each with unique characteristics and injury patterns that impact liability and the claims process. Some of the most common kinds of car accidents include:

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions happen when one vehicle strikes the back of another car.

These accidents happen frequently in Georgia, often in stop-and-go traffic, at red lights, or when drivers fail to maintain safe following distances. While many rear-end crashes occur at lower speeds, they can still cause serious injuries, including whiplash, back injuries, and soft-tissue injuries.

The trailing driver is typically presumed at fault in rear-end collisions, though exceptions exist (e.g., when the lead driver stops suddenly without warning or has malfunctioning brake lights).

Side-Impact (T-Bone) Crashes

Side-impact crashes, or T-bone accidents, occur when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, forming a shape similar to the letter T.

These crashes often happen at intersections when drivers run red lights or stop signs, fail to yield right-of-way, or misjudge gaps in traffic when turning.

T-bone crashes are particularly dangerous because the sides of a vehicle offer less protection from impact compared to front or rear crumple zones, leaving occupants vulnerable to severe injuries, including broken bones, internal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.

Head-On Collisions

Head-on collisions occur when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide front to front.

Although less common than other types of car accidents, head-on crashes are among the deadliest because the vehicles’ speeds combine at impact. These accidents often result from wrong-way driving on highways, improper passing on two-lane roads, driver impairment, distraction, or crossing the center line.

Sideswipe Accidents

Sideswipe accidents occur when the sides of two parallel vehicles make contact, typically during lane changes or merging.

These car crashes may result from drivers failing to check blind spots, drifting out of their lanes due to distraction, or misjudging spacing between vehicles. While sideswipes may seem minor, they can cause drivers to lose control, increasing the risk of multi-vehicle accidents and striking guardrails or other roadside objects.

Factors That Cause Car Accidents in Georgia

Most car wrecks happen because of another party’s negligence. Examples include:

Distracted driving
Speeding
Impaired driving
Reckless driving
Driver fatigue
Inexperience
Bad weather conditions, such as rain and fog
Poor road maintenance, inadequate signage, and defective traffic signals
Vehicle design defects

Get Help from Our Experienced Georgia Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in any type of car accident in Georgia — even a single-vehicle crash — you could be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other crash-related losses.

The experienced car accident attorneys at Underwood Law LLC put clients first by providing compassionate, aggressive legal representation for injured people.