1976, police warning for short mudguards

[Alex321]

Depends on the dictionary. The main definition in the Cambridge dictionary says an accident is "not expected or intended" and an entirely predictable collision is expected, so not an accident. The main/first definition in the Collins dictionary is "an unforeseen event or one without an apparent cause" which also excludes foreseeable motoring crashes.

I would disagree that it is "expected". As an outside observer, we may expect that at some point that standard of driving is goig to result in a collision, but the driver doesn't expect it, or they wouldn't be driving that way. And even to the outside observer, any particular incidnet is not likely to be expected.

I expect the OED supports your view but they're stuck waaaay back in the past and still fighting against the shift from z to s in many words a few centuries ago!

Nonetheless, enough dictionaries say accidents are unforeseeable that calling a predictable event an "accident" is obviously going to imply to many people that you're excusing whoever caused it, so I wouldn't do that unless that's your intent. Language is about communication, ultimately, not compiling dictionary definitions.

This, I agree with. I understand why the police and many news outlets try not to use the word accident any more.

I just disagree with people explicitly saying "it's not an accident", when according to the dictionary definition it is.

 

[Drago]

You need to see past the idea that the dictionary definition is the same as the legal or technical definition.

 

[Alex321]

You need to see past the idea that the dictionary definition is the same as the legal or technical definition.

Given I have never thought it might be, why do I "need to see past" that?