AP Style Guide Favors 'Crash' Over 'Accident' (Sometimes)

This is the moment a lot of traffic safety advocates have been waiting for: the AP Style Guide, purveyors of rules and regulations to journalists and other, has taken a side in the debate about the word "accident."

April 5, 2016, 1pm PDT | James Brasuell | @CasualBrasuell

The Twitter account of the AP Stylebook recently released a proclamation that has been a long time in the works for some transportation safety accident.

When negligence is claimed or proven, avoid accident, which can be read as exonerating the person responsible. #ACES2016

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) April 2, 2016

Instead, use crash, collision or other terms. #ACES2016

— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) April 2, 2016

The retweets and mentions inspired by these tweets are also recommended reading for evidence of the passions and opinions that preceded the momentous announcement. It is important to note that the recommendation falls short of a full prescription to use the words "crash" or "collision" rather than "accident"—and it remains to be seen how many occasions will actually fit the description presented here by the AP Stylebook.

For more on debate on Twitter, see also #CrashNotAccident.