Can an Accident be Intentional?

Calling something an accident implies random happenings, and occurrences entirely outside the control of victims. The notion is mostly true, because innocent victims are often guiltless in precipitating accidents, but that does not mean intentional acts are absent. In other words, people do things on purpose, all the time, which contribute to accidents. And the line is often blurred between well-intentioned, but ill-advised acts, and those which are carried out with impunity.

Accidentally on Purpose

Though the concept stands as an oxymoron, intentionally accidents occur regularly, and take a few distinct forms. False claims are based on accidents that are both illegitimate and intentional. Car accident scams provide illustrations of the types of contrived accidents used by criminals to support phony claims.

Contact between vehicles occurs regularly among drivers working diligently to prevent it. Imagine then, how easy it is to initiate car accidents when one of the participants, or "victims", is intentionally trying to get in harm's way. Criminals have multiple scams at the ready, including some that require more than one vehicle to perpetrate. Typically, unsuspecting motorists are induced to hit other vehicles, by rear-ending them. When fault for the intentional accident is attributed to driver error, on the part of the true victim, the phony accident victim cleans up on a claim.

Illegal Acts Cause intentional Accidents

Traffic cons are not the only intentional acts causing accidents. Many criminal endeavors can be classified as accidents against unsuspecting victims, who suffer the consequences of deliberate activities.

Theft, for example, causes accidents in a variety of ways. Items are stolen for their intrinsic value, and their ability to bring cash to thieves and burglars. Sometimes criminals steal items intended to bolster safety. When value is seen in machinery and industrial components, they are stripped and stolen, leading to breakdowns in safe operation of the equipment. When users are unaware of the deficiencies created by the theft, accidents can cause injury and damages.

Vandals too, cause accidents with their intentional criminal acts. Removing street signs and traffic signals is a past-time pursued by illicit collectors and vandals, who display the items as trophies. Removing stop signs and other essential roadway safety features leads to confusion among drivers, and causes accidents resulting from intentional acts.

Anarchists and vandals bent on causing harm specifically target mass-transit and other public support structures that impact large numbers of individuals. Accidents result from disabled safety components and alterations designed to interrupt the flow of safety precautions.

Large scale plots like hijacking and hostage -taking are tragic accidents to the victims involved, but intentional acts for those carrying out the schemes. And the loss of life and injuries associated with these crimes is not always intended by the perpetrators. While some fanatical criminals intend to kill their victims, other incidents involve collateral damage during rescue attempts and failed hostage escapes.

Crimes against individuals, like strong arm robbery and assault and battery, result in injuries and damage to property. Stabbings and shootings are among the most serious consequences of personal robberies, and when motor vehicles are involved, in car-jackings, the potential for accidents is present during escapes.

Burglary too, is commonly associated with accidental damage to property, as doors, windows, and other home features are destroyed by burglars. Personal injuries occur when victims fight back, and even property that is recovered after burglaries is often found damaged. Fighting back stimulates accidental injury for some victims, who are outmatched by weapons and the physical size of attackers.

Whether home away, accidents result from intentional acts committed by others, often for their own personal gain. Criminals create hazardous conditions, and leave unsuspecting accident victims in their wakes.