Are accidents avoidable or unavoidable by definition?

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In summary: Insurance companies and many others have very different definitions of the word "accident". It seem to to me that we often say "sorry" and assign the blame to "an accident" rather than taking responsibility for our actions and admitting a lack of due care and attention.In summary, the conversation discusses the definition of an accident and whether an apology should be accepted in certain situations. The speaker believes that the incident described, where someone was hit in the head by a door, was not an accident but rather a result of negligence and lack of attention. They question whether accidents are truly unavoidable and criticize the tendency to use the word "accident" as an excuse for one's actions.
  • #1
Wardw
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I got to thinking the other day after someone opened a door (with a clear glass pane) which then whacked me in the head. as I stood on the other side.
The person involved said "sorry, it was an accident". I then thought later:
No I won't accept your apology because to me it was not an accident.
It was imprudence and a lack of attention.
I always thought an accident by definition was something unavoidable i.e act of god (for all the believers out there). I found this definition in a 1913 Websters:

\Ac"ci*dent\, n. [F. accident, fr. L. accidens,
-dentis, p. pr. of accidere to happen; ad + cadere to fall.
See {Cadence}, {Case}.]
1. Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without
one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and
unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an
undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or
unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by
an accident.

So my point is: what is an accident?? and in similar situations to the one I described above, should an apology be accepted?
I tend to think no, and castigate the person involved for not looking first, if they had, the incident would have been avoided.
Insurance companies and many others have very different definitions of the word "accident". It seem to to me that we often say "sorry" and assign the blame to "an accident" rather than taking responsibility for our actions and admitting a lack of due care and attention.

So, is an accident by definition avoidable or unavoidable.
 
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  • #2
Wardw said:
I got to thinking the other day after someone opened a door (with a clear glass pane) which then whacked me in the head. as I stood on the other side.
The person involved said "sorry, it was an accident". I then thought later:
No I won't accept your apology because to me it was not an accident.
It was imprudence and a lack of attention.
I always thought an accident by definition was something unavoidable i.e act of god (for all the believers out there).

accident - an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance. (from Websters)
You are correct. In your case, it was not an accident, but merely a failure of the other person to pay attention - which is negligence.

Negligence - Failure to exercise the degree of care considered reasonable under the circumstances, resulting in an unintended injury to another party.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000, or
failure to exercise the degree of care expected of a person of ordinary prudence in like circumstances in protecting others from a foreseeable and unreasonable risk of harm in a particular situation
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Accidents do happen, but most accidents are not really accidents. The guilty (negligent) party simply refuses to accept responsibility for negligence.

An accident by definition is unavoidable, although the definition from Websters is a bit vague. Is the lack of foresight due to distraction, lack of experience, or lack of attention/thought? Should the person causing the accident have been more cautious?

Nevertheless, if an apology is sincere, then one should accept it. Perhaps the person was distracted, or simply careless. One must reflect upon one's own carelessness and negligence before castigating another for the same behavior. Rather than castigate, one could simply say to the other, "Please, before more careful in the future."
 
  • #3
It looks to be, from that definition, that an accident is unavoidable. Had you seen the person getting ready to open the door, or opening the door, you would have probably moved your head. Yes the person should have probably paid more attention, but you can not control what other people do, so just relax and enjoy this careless accident prone life we all live. As for apology acception. What would you have done had he/she not said sorry? You would have probably been a hell of a lot more pissed off. An apology may not mean much, but it is better than no apology at all. At least the person is acknowledging that he/she made a mistake.
 
  • #4
There's nothing in the common definition that says that an accident is something "unavoidable". It doesn't even say that it "could not have been avoided". It only says that it was not anticipated, expected or intended to happen.

Whether someone could have anticipated it and/or prevented it had he been more careful is another issue. Negligent people cause accidents. That's what keeps lawyers happy.
 
  • #5
I agree with the others, that accidents are unavoidable, if it's avoidable, it's a mistake or negligence. Apologizing is accepting blame, which automatically indicates it was avoidable and you didn't go far enough to avoid it. It's hard to think of an example of a real accident, because they are so uncommon.
 
  • #6
Mistakes and negligence are types of accidents. Otherwise nothing is an accident because you can prevent all future accidents through suicide.
 
  • #7
A traffic accident for example is almost always a result of negligence but still called an accident.
 
  • #8
The definition of accident doesn't include the word "unavoidable".

The Random House Webster's College Dictionary (2000 revised ed.) gives this:
1. an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in injury, damage or loss.
2. an incident that results in injury, in no way the fault of the victim, for which compensation or indemnity is legally sought.
3. any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate (emphasis mine) plan or cause.
4. chance; fortune; luck.
5. a nonessential or incidental feature or circumstance.

Only the 4th meaning implies "unavoidability". The others, particularly the first two, clearly allow for someone to be responsible for causing an accident.
 
  • #9
Wardw said:
So my point is: what is an accident?? and in similar situations to the one I described above, should an apology be accepted?
I tend to think no, and castigate the person involved for not looking first, if they had, the incident would have been avoided.
Insurance companies and many others have very different definitions of the word "accident". It seem to to me that we often say "sorry" and assign the blame to "an accident" rather than taking responsibility for our actions and admitting a lack of due care and attention.
Yes people tend to say something was an "accident" when what they mean is "unintentional", but I doubt that most people mean to deceive you when they say it. The person is obviously embarrassed and just spouts out the first thing that comes into their mind. If it truly seems unintentional and they offer an apology, it would be discourteous not to accept.

Lighten up. :wink:
 
  • #10
Hmm...the Oxford English Dictionary seems to allow for both interpretations people have come up with:

accident /’æksId(ə)nt/ n. 1 unfortunate esp. harmful event, caused unintentionally. 2 event that is unexpected or without apparent cause. □ by accident unintentionally. [Latin cado fall]
 
  • #11
accidents in my case are neither avoidable or unavoidable in my experience, but ineveitable.
 
  • #12
tribdog said:
accidents in my case are neither avoidable or unavoidable in my experience, but ineveitable.


That about settles the issue.
 
  • #13
Moonbear said:
I agree with the others, that accidents are unavoidable, if it's avoidable, it's a mistake or negligence. Apologizing is accepting blame, which automatically indicates it was avoidable and you didn't go far enough to avoid it. It's hard to think of an example of a real accident, because they are so uncommon.
Doesn't that mean that the word "accident" is pretty much useless? Every "accident", unless caused by an unexpected act of nature (a meteor falling through the hood of your car) has a man-made cause and is avoidable.

The way I read the definition, anything (bad) that happens without your foreknowledge is an accident. It doesn't matter if you should have known you'd fall asleep behind the wheel after pulling an allnighter - you didn't. Its an accident - just a preventable one. As long as you didn't do it (fall asleep behind the wheel and rear-end someone), its an accident.

Also, legally I don't think it matters if its called an "accident" - there can still be negligence involved. I'm sure you've all heard the term "accidental death" - that's what they call it when a kid plays with a loaded gun...

Wardw, the way I always take that apology you got is: "I'm sorry for being a dumbass."
 
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  • #14
Another thought occurred to me on this. Wardw was upset because the person could have looked through the glass pane and avoided hitting him through the door, yet, if there was a glass pane, couldn't Wardw also have seen through that glass pane and stepped aside when he saw someone on the other side about to push the door open? And if he was just standing there, not paying attention to the door at all, then perhaps he's the one who should have apologized for standing in the way and blocking the door.

In the end, it hardly matters what you call it. If you find yourself colliding with people often, whether with doors, cars, or your own person, perhaps it's time to get your head out of the clouds and pay attention to what's going on around you.
 
  • #15
Here is the way I look at it. A doorway is not to be stood in. You can pick thousands of places to stand, but someone else can likely pick only one door to walk through. Stay out of the damn way. I'm not saying I slam everyone I see when walking through a door, but I think it is tantamount to standing on the highway and complaining when a car hits you.
 
  • #16
If this guy is that angry for something this small, I couldn't imagine how crazy he is in a car. (Major Road Rage)
 
  • #17
Yeah Jason I hadn't thought of that. You bring up a good point. I have been in a situation where I closely looked for traffic and seen none. Yet I was in a close call because there really were cars coming. Notice I said CLOSELY looked. No collision, but a dangerous situation. Was I at fault? Yes. Had I killed someone should I have been punished as severely as if I had just not bothered looking at all? I think that is what the discussion comes down to. Humans are error prone. This is why we have the so-called accidents. This is also the reason why we shouldn't expect everyone else to look out for us when standing in doorways and such. Always have in the back of your mind that someone else may not see you; try to play it safe.
 

1. Are accidents completely avoidable?

No, accidents are not completely avoidable. Despite taking all necessary precautions and safety measures, accidents can still occur due to unforeseen circumstances or human error.

2. Can accidents be predicted and prevented?

Accidents can be predicted and prevented to some extent by identifying potential hazards and implementing safety protocols. However, some accidents may still occur due to factors that are out of our control.

3. Are accidents always caused by human error?

No, accidents can also be caused by mechanical failures, natural disasters, or other external factors. While human error is a common cause of accidents, it is not always the sole factor.

4. Can accidents be avoided by following safety regulations?

Following safety regulations is crucial in preventing accidents, but it is not a guarantee that accidents will not occur. Other factors such as equipment malfunctions or external events can still lead to accidents despite following safety regulations.

5. Are accidents avoidable by definition?

The definition of an accident implies that it is an unexpected and unintentional event. Therefore, by definition, accidents are not avoidable. However, efforts can be made to minimize the likelihood and severity of accidents through proper safety measures and risk management.

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