Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Practice Exam

Which term describes the main cause of a crash?

1. Primary collision factor

2. Secondary collision factor

3. Additional cause

4. Minor contributing factor

The correct answer is: Primary collision factor

The term that describes the main cause of a crash is known as the primary collision factor. This designation is crucial in accident investigation and analysis because it identifies the primary reason behind the occurrence of a traffic incident. Understanding the primary collision factor helps law enforcement, insurance companies, and traffic safety analysts to determine accountability and contributes to efforts aimed at preventing future accidents by addressing the root causes of crashes. On the other hand, secondary collision factors, additional causes, and minor contributing factors refer to other elements that may have played a role in the incident but are not seen as the main cause. While these factors are important for a comprehensive understanding of a crash, they do not carry the same weight in establishing the primary cause of the accident, making the concept of primary collision factor essential for analyzing traffic safety and law enforcement procedures.