When one or more vehicles has a crash, either with another vehicle or a pedestrian or animal, the crash is logged according to one of 71 types of accidents and collisions so that statistics can be compiled. These have a range of causes, including inattention while driving, misjudgement of another vehicle's speed or road position, failure to check blind spots, misjudgement of a corner's characteristics, collision with animals, and more. Discover the 71 different types of accidents and what causes them.

1. How accidents are categorised
The seventy-one types of single-
and multi-vehicle crashes

2. Overtaking and lane change
• Overtaking is the most dangerous manoeuvre
we perform on the road.
• It puts us in the line of traffic coming towards
us with a closing speed of up to 200km/h.
• Check out the advanced guide to overtaking
for safe overtaking advice.

3. Head on
• Head-on collisions tend to produce the
highest chance of fatalities due to the forces
involved.
• Occupants of smaller and older vehicles are
most at risk.

4. Lost control/off-road (straight roads)
• Loss of control on a straight road is usually
due to inattention, or swerving or braking to
avoid an object or other vehicle.
• Gravel road shoulders can be slippery; drivers
can easily over-correct, losing control.

5. Cornering
• Loss of control when cornering is almost always
because of entering the corner too fast.
• Approaching a corner should be slow in, fast out.
• Intersections are signposted well in advanced;
inattention is the main cause of missing the end
of the road.

6. Collision with obstruction
• Collision with an obstruction can be due to
inattention or lack of scanning and hazard
recognition.
• Passing parked vehicles can be dangerous for
motorcyclists because of drivers opening
vehicle doors.

7. Rear end
• Rear end collisions are the most common
type of two-vehicle collisions.
• They create unnecessary traffic congestion.
• They are caused by tailgating or inattention.

8. Turning versus same direction
• Many turning accidents are caused by failure
to check blind spots.
• Others are caused by tailgating (unable to
stop in time) or inattention.

9. Crossing (no turns)
• These accidents are caused by failure to give
way (read the full rules here).

10. Crossing (vehicle turning)
• These accidents tend to be caused by
misjudgement of the other vehicle’s path.

11. Merging
• These accidents tend to be caused by
misjudgement of the other vehicle’s path, or
misunderstanding the give way and lane rules.
• Incorrect or inadvertent indication can cause
these types of accidents; vehicles without self-
cancelling indicators can create confusion.

12. Right turn against
• These accidents tend to be caused by
misjudgement of the other vehicle’s path or
speed, or misunderstanding the give way
rules.

13. Manoeuvring
• Parking accidents are usually due to not
checking blind spots, or having reduced
visibility.
• U-turn accidents are usually due to not
checking blind spots, or misjudging the other
vehicle’s speed or position.

14. Pedestrians crossing road
• Pedestrians have the right-of-way, but are less
visible than vehicles.
• Drivers should be aware of pedestrian
crossing rules.
• Children have less road sense and sometimes
run out unexpectedly.

15. Pedestrians (other)
• Pedestrians wearing dark clothing are at risk
of not being seen when visibility is low, e.g.
dusk, overcast weather.
• Pedestrians preoccupied with the weather
(e.g. running in rain), what they are carrying,
pets, etc. might step out into traffic without
looking.

16. Miscellaneous
• Some accidents are due to negligence and
illegal riding on vehicles.
• Check your knowledge of railway crossing
rules.
• Check your knowledge of how to drive around
horses.
• Read the complete guide to towing a trailer.

17. Reported vs. unreported accidents
• A large number of low-damage, low-speed,
no-injury accidents go unreported.
• These accidents are usually while
manoeuvring, or minor nose-to-tail incidents.
• No exact figures are available.

18. Learning the road rules
The quickest way to learn the road rules is with
the free Road Code quizzes at
www.drivingtests.co.nz, as used and
recommended by driving instructors, industry
training organisations, schools, colleges, Tourism
NZ, the military, Immigration NZ, the Rental
Vehicle Association, Tourism Industry
Association of NZ, and many more.
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