Some limo accidents are quite common and can be avoided very effectively with driver training. There are other things though that can be harder to plan for.
Common limo accidents:
-A rear end collision is one of the top three accidents reported to insurance companies.
Hitting the car in front of you is pretty common for any driver. Being a professional driver means a whole lot more time on the road and a greater chance for trouble. To avoid this type of collision it is necessary to allow a four second minimum between vehicles. Because some limo’s are quite a bit longer than others, the rule is to allow for a few more seconds between vehicles. This will give a heavier vehicle a little more time to stop in time.
-A sideswipe is in the second of the top three limo accident types.
Unfortunately it is easy to hit some things while driving either a very long or very tall vehicle. The best way to avoid a sideswipe is to have the proper mirrors. If you can’t see the utility pole or other vehicle then you will be much more likely to hit it. One problem with driving a limo is understanding the turn radius. Training is key.
-Hitting a parked car is very common for limo drivers.
Because limos are oftentimes used at very busy events, there is always the need to navigate through congested areas. It is also pretty common for some of the typical pick up or drop off areas for limo’s to have blind spots. Avoiding this type of crash means being very focused on the job at hand.
Certain accidents are caused by passenger misconduct:
There was one recently when the high school kid stuck his head out of the skylight, and was decapitated. That boy could have been saved from making such a stupid and deadly mistake by a chaperone perhaps. Containing adults during their revelry could be tough sometimes but there is no reason why a group of high school kids is not escorted by a chaperone to keep them out of trouble.
Bizarre driver errors can be deadly:
Just this past month a man in New York was crushed between the limo he just exited and some parked cars. Apparently the driver mistakenly put the limo into reverse as the man was just getting out of the limo. This was both a terrible as well as preventable accident. The man died from his injuries. The driver made a stupid mistake that should not have happened.
