Car accidents are scary and sometimes unpredictable tragedies. Even the safest and most cautious of drivers can find themselves in a car accident. These are the most common ones and it’s important to know what to do if you find yourself in one of these situations or to potentially avoid them.

1. The rear-end. One of the most common car accidents out there and they range for severity depending on the speed at the time of impact. Rear-ends typically happen for two reasons – following too close to a driver and/or negligence. It’s easy to be distracted looking at your phone, eating or messing with the radio and then to suddenly find yourself having to slam the brakes with a car stopped or slowing down in front of you. Even if you are paying attention, driving too close causes rear-ends in case the driver in front of you has to stop suddenly. Pay attention to the road in front of you and always give yourself about three seconds of space for the vehicle in front of you so both of you can stop safely in case of an emergency on the road.
2. The left-hand turn. You’re waiting to turn left on a green-yield signal and you poke your way into the intersection to wait to turn. So have the drivers on the other side of the road and that can cause you to not properly see if there are cars going straight through the intersection. Be patient and don’t guess if there are cars coming – wait till the intersection is clear, even if that means having to be a little later to your destination.
3. Parking lot fender benders. Parking lots aren’t designed for lots of traffic and get overcrowded very easily. Lots of drivers looking for parking spots in cramped spaces is just asking for trouble and it’s very common to see small fender benders as people pay more attention to potential spaces than the car in front of them. Never assume a driver in a parking lot will give you the right of way – be slow and cautious.
4. Intersections with stop signs. It’s a common sight – you’re driving through a small sleepy neighborhood and you come up to an intersection with a stop sign and unfortunately some people don’t notice that it isn’t a four-way stop. It’s easy for people to be distracted at stop signs as well, as this is usually the time they pull out their phones or check the radio. Always be cautious and look both ways.

It's important to stay vigilant at all times when driving, but some of these scenarios are the most popular when it comes to accidents and insurance claims. When you encounter one of these situations, remind yourself to drive with caution.

Stay road safe. Call Stastny Insurance Agency at 800-864-2645 for more information on Maryland Auto Insurance.