1.
minor collision; fender bender; contact accident
A traffic accident involving light contact between vehicles, or between a vehicle and a person, bicycle, or object. Typically implies minor damage without serious injury, in contrast to a major collision.
駐車場で接触事故を起こした。
I had a fender bender in the parking lot.
自転車と車の接触事故が多発している。
Minor collisions between bicycles and cars are occurring frequently.
接触事故であっても警察に届け出なければならないことを知らない人が意外と多い。
Surprisingly many people don't know that even a minor collision must be reported to the police.
Compound of 接触 ('contact; touching') and 事故 ('accident'). Describes a relatively minor traffic incident where vehicles or a vehicle and person make contact, typically resulting in scratches, dents, or light damage rather than major destruction.
USAGE:
- Distinguished from 衝突事故 ('collision accident'), which implies a more forceful impact
- Even minor contact accidents must be reported to police in Japan — failure to do so constitutes hit-and-run (当て逃げ)
- Common in insurance, police, and news reporting contexts
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 接触事故を起こす: to cause a minor collision
- 接触事故に遭う: to be involved in a minor collision
- 車の接触事故: car fender bender
- 接触事故の届け出: report of a contact accident
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 衝突事故: collision accident — a more serious crash with forceful impact
- 追突事故: rear-end collision — specifically being hit from behind
- 物損事故: property damage accident — focuses on material damage with no personal injury