car/traffic accident

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Anonymous

#459201 Tue, 01 Jan 08 05:25 PM

What is the difference between a car accident and a traffic accident?

Thanks

Anonymous

Difference between

Grammar Geek

#459207 Tue, 01 Jan 08 05:37 PM

Not much. I suppose a car accident could have the car hitting a tree, or just going off the road, while a traffic accident involves other cars.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

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Yoong Liat

#459208 Tue, 01 Jan 08 05:45 PM

Grammar Geek wrote:

Not much. I suppose a car accident could have the car hitting a tree, or just going off the road, while a traffic accident involves other cars.

IMO, 'A traffic accident may involve not only other cars, but other vehicles as well.'

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (6,085)

Yoong Liat

Grammar

Grammar Geek

#459218 Tue, 01 Jan 08 06:44 PM

Yes, other vehicles. But you can have a one-car accident. You can't have a one-car traffic accident.

Grammar Geek

Yoong Liat

#459221 Tue, 01 Jan 08 07:00 PM

Grammar Geek wrote:
Yes, other vehicles. But you can have a one-car accident. You can't have a one-car traffic accident.

I agree with you. When cars or other vehicles are involved, the term is 'traffic accident'.

Yoong Liat

Grammar

Avangi

#459300 Wed, 02 Jan 08 12:03 AM

Grammar Geek wrote:

Not much. I suppose a car accident could have the car hitting a tree, or just going off the road, while a traffic accident involves other cars.

(This is such fun.) Seems like some enforcement authorities (or reporting entities) use "TA" to describe even a "solo spinout" to the extent that it's part of the traffic pattern.

Avangi

Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007

Senior Member (3,676)

". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

Grammar

Akavall

#459307 Wed, 02 Jan 08 12:32 AM

If a car hits a pedestrian, wouldn't it be a "traffic accident" also?

Akavall

Joined on Sat, Nov 24 2007

Full Member (137)

Hoa Thai

#459317 Wed, 02 Jan 08 12:47 AM

Yoong Liat wrote:
Grammar Geek wrote:
Yes, other vehicles. But you can have a one-car accident. You can't have a one-car traffic accident.
I agree with you. When cars or other vehicles are involved, the term is 'traffic accident'.

Hi Grammar Geek and Yoong Liat,

Just for clarification and confirmation, I would like to set a scene and ask a few questions.

A drunk driver ran a red light and hit a pedestrian crossing a busy street. Both parties were involved in a car accident (based on one-car explanation). Or should we say they were involved in a traffic accident as they were in traffic? Or should we attibute the car accident to the pedestrian and the traffic one to the driver?

Now, let's say indirectly that accident also caused multiple-car pile-up behind them. What type of accident were the drunk driver and the pedestrian involved in? Would the type of accident be classified differently whether the other cars hit the drunkard's or not?

Thanks,
Hoa Thai

Hoa Thai

Joined on Mon, Oct 15 2007

Vietnam

Contributing Member (1,100)

Best Regards - Hoa Thai

Grammar

Yoong Liat

#459351 Wed, 02 Jan 08 04:22 AM

Hi Hoa Thai

Just for clarification and confirmation, I would like to set a scene and ask a few questions.

A drunk driver ran a red light and hit a pedestrian crossing a busy street. Both parties were involved in a car accident (based on one-car explanation). Or should we say they were involved in a traffic accident as they were in traffic? Or should we attibute the car accident to the pedestrian and the traffic one to the driver? (I'd say it is a car/road/traffic accident.)

Now, let's say indirectly that accident also caused multiple-car pile-up behind them. What type of accident were the drunk driver and the pedestrian involved in? Would the type of accident be classified differently whether the other cars hit the drunkard's or not? (I'd also say that it is a car/road/traffic accident.)

I'd say that a car accident can involve one or more than one car.

Yoong Liat