1.
rear-end collision; an accident in which one vehicle hits the back of another
A traffic accident in which the front of one vehicle strikes the rear of the vehicle ahead — typically because the following driver failed to maintain enough distance or did not notice that the vehicle ahead had stopped. One of the most common types of car accident in Japan.
追突事故を起こす。
To cause a rear-end collision.
信号待ちで追突事故にあった。
I was rear-ended while waiting at a traffic light.
高速道路で大型トラックによる追突事故が発生し、長い渋滞が続いている。
A rear-end collision involving a large truck occurred on the highway, and the long traffic jam is still continuing.
雨でブレーキが利きにくくなり、前の車に追突事故を起こしてしまった運転手が警察に事情を説明している。
The driver, whose brakes had become less effective in the rain and who ended up rear-ending the car in front, is explaining the situation to the police.
Composed of 追突 ('rear-ending; collision from behind') + 事故 ('accident'). The first element 追突 is itself a Sino-Japanese compound from 追う ('to chase, follow') + 突 ('to ram, thrust').
USAGE:
- A standard term in news reports, insurance claims, and traffic statistics. Both speakers and writers use it freely.
- Often appears with 起こす ('to cause') for the at-fault driver, and with にあう ('to suffer') or 巻き込まれる ('to be caught up in') for the victim.
- Compare with 接触事故 ('minor side-swipe / contact accident') and 正面衝突 ('head-on collision').
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 追突事故を起こす: to cause a rear-end collision
- 追突事故にあう: to be rear-ended
- 追突事故が発生する: a rear-end collision occurs
- 追突事故を防ぐ: to prevent rear-end collisions
- 高速道路での追突事故: a rear-end collision on the highway
- 玉突き追突事故: a chain-reaction rear-end collision
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 接触事故: minor contact accident — a less severe collision involving glancing contact, often without injury.
- 正面衝突: head-on collision — the front of one vehicle strikes the front of another; usually more severe.
- 物損事故: property-damage-only accident — categorized by lack of injury, regardless of how the collision occurred.
- 人身事故: accident involving injury or death — categorized by human casualties.
- 玉突き事故: chain-reaction accident — multiple vehicles colliding in sequence; often a series of 追突.