Accident Words

Words related to vehicle accidents and breakdowns
accident
noun a crash involving a car, train, plane, or other vehicle

aquaplane
verb if a car aquaplanes, it slides across water on the road in an uncontrolled way

bang up
to damage something such as a vehicle

blindside
verb to hit the side of a travelling vehicle in an accident

blowout
noun an occasion when a tyre on a moving vehicle suddenly bursts

break down
if a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops working

breakdown
noun a situation in which a machine or vehicle stops working

broadside
verb to crash into the side of another vehicle

bump
noun a minor car accident

car crash
noun

an accident in which two or more vehicles crash into each other

collision
noun an accident in which a person or vehicle that is moving crashes into something

crash
verb if a moving vehicle crashes, it hits something, causing damage

crash
verb if someone crashes a moving vehicle, they hit something with it, causing damage

crash
verb if a plane crashes, or if someone crashes it, it falls from the sky

crash
noun an accident that happens when a moving vehicle hits something, causing damage

derail
verb to make a train come off its rails

derail
verb if a train derails, it comes off its rails

ding
verb to make a small dent on the surface of something, especially a car

distress
noun a situation in which a ship, aircraft etc is in great danger and likely to sink or crash

fender-bender
noun a minor accident in which vehicles are slightly damaged

fishtail
verb if a vehicle fishtails, its back end moves from side to side in an uncontrolled way

flat
noun a puncture1 1

head-on
adverb if two vehicles crash head-on, the front of one vehicle hits the front of the other

head-on
adjective a head-on crash is one in which two vehicles travelling in opposite directions hit each other

hit
verb if a vehicle hits someone or something, it moves against them with great force

hit-and-run
adjective a hit-and-run accident is one in which a driver does not stop after their vehicle has hit a person or another car

jackknife
verb if a truck or train jackknifes, it bends in the middle and its connected parts fold towards each other

knock down
to hit someone with a vehicle so that they are injured or killed

pile-up
noun an accident in which several vehicles crash into each other

plough into
to crash into someone or something with force, especially because you are moving or driving too quickly or in a careless or uncontrolled way

plough through
to crash through something or a group of people with force, especially because you are moving or driving too quickly or in a careless or uncontrolled way

prang
verb to damage or hit something in an accident, especially a car or plane

puncture
noun a small hole made by accident in a tyre

ram
verb if a vehicle or boat rams something, it hits it very hard, usually when it is moving fast

rollover
noun an occasion when a vehicle turns over while it is moving

run into
to hit someone or something by accident while you are driving

run over
to hit someone or something with a vehicle and drive over them

shipwreck
noun an accident in which a ship is destroyed during a journey, usually because it hits rocks

shunt
noun a situation in which several cars crash into each other in a line

sideswipe
verb

if one vehicle sideswipes another vehicle, their sides touch quickly

skid
noun a sudden uncontrolled slide across the ground, especially by a vehicle

smash into
to make something such as a vehicle hit an object or surface very hard while moving very fast, causing injury or damage

smash
noun a car crash

smash-up
noun an accident that happens when a moving vehicle hits something, causing damage

stall
noun an occasion when a vehicle’s engine suddenly stops working

total
verb to completely destroy a vehicle

whiplash
noun a serious injury affecting your neck, caused when the vehicle that you are in is hit from behind by another vehicle, which makes your head move violently

wreck
verb to severely damage or destroy a vehicle or building

wreck
noun something that has been badly damaged, especially a car, plane, or train that has been in an accident

wreck
noun a crash

wreckage
noun the parts of a vehicle or building that remain after it has been severely damaged

write off
to damage a vehicle so badly that it is not worth repairing

write-off
noun a vehicle that is so badly damaged that it cannot be repaired

derailment
noun

prang
noun

run someone off the road
to drive in a way that forces someone else’s car to drive off the road