A pile-up accident is a traffic accident involving many vehicles. Generally occurring on highways they are one of the deadliest form of traffic
accident.
Pile-ups generally occur in low-visibility conditions, like rain or fog. In such conditions drivers on highways often drive closer together than they should. If one car develops a problem, those behind it cannot stop in time, hitting it. As cars are forced into other lanes and oncoming traffic more vehicles become involved. The most disastrous pile-ups have involved more than a hundred vehicles.
They are particularly deadly as the solid mass of crumpled vehicles makes escape difficult. A fire in one part of the accident can quickly spread to spilled fuel and cover the entire crash area. Vehicles in a pile up are often hit multiple times, increasing risk of injury to the passenger. Moreover cars are often spun during an accident and are subsequently hit from the side, increasing risk of injury or death. Some vehicle occupants choose to get out of their vehicles during a pile up, making them vulnerable to oncoming vehicles. Pile-ups can also overburden local firefighting, ambulance, and police services making quick rescues more difficult.
The large scale of these accidents can close important routes for several days. The destruction and intense heat of fires can also damage roadways, particularly by melting and burning the asphalt. A pileup inside a tunnel is by far the worst, as there is little means for escape in older ones, and the un-vented heat may even cause the concrete lining to come apart.
Determining the cause of pile-up accidents is also difficult for investigators and it is often impossible to tell if negligence caused the crash.
• Rain, Another Accident Cause Pileup NewsLeader.com
Rain, another accident cause pileupNews Leader.comA mix of a sudden downpour of rain and another car accident Tuesday caused a five car pileup, the Missouri Highway Patrol reports. and more raquo
• Local Drivers Crash, Injured River Falls Journal
Local drivers crash, injuredRiver Falls JournalA two vehicle pileup in the town of River Falls at 12:45 pm Wednesday, July 28, resulted in both drivers getting hurt: Charles D. Hamilton, 69, and Mitchell and more raquo
• Files Pile Up As Mamata Plays Truant Times Of India
Files pile up as Mamata plays truantTimes of IndiaNot only do files pile up, but several decisions like acquisition of machines and equipment have been awaiting her approval. Her frequent absences from Rail queen 39Didi39 continues on disaster trackEconomic Timesall 504 news articles raquo
• Two Killed In Wreck With 18wheeler On I45 Houston Chronicle
Houston ChronicleTwo killed in wreck with 18 wheeler on I 45Houston ChronicleThe pileup forced officials to temporarily close all southbound lanes while emergency crews clear the site, and police investigate the wreck. and more raquo
• Six Cars In Malagwane Pile Up The Swazi Observer
Six cars in Malagwane pile upThe Swazi ObserverA South African quantum bus full of tourists from the Netherlands lost brakes, causing an accident with a Cheriot which was ahead of it.
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