This past week, a drunk driver slammed into the side of a limousine in Long Island, killing 4 bridesmaids and leaving the bride-to-be in critical condition

The situation is tragic, and begs the question of whether limousines are significantly more dangerous or prone to accidents than other vehicles.

While limousines aren't rolling death traps, their unique shape does present certain problems that can lead to crashes.

Lancer—the United States' leading limo insurance company—released data shedding light on the most common types of limousine accidents. They are:

• Rear-end collisions: roughly 26% of all claims filed with Lancer are from rear-end collisions (with the limo driver rear-ending another vehicle).
• Sideswipes: another 20% of accidents involved the limo driver striking or swiping passing objects like utility polls, awnings and other vehicles.
• Parked cars: 13% of Lancer's claims resulted from collisions with parked cars on roads or in parking lots.

Fortunately, the damage caused by these 3 groups of collisions is, on average, pretty low. Limo drivers are trained professionals, but it's still smart to be prepared. Accidents can happen to anyone.

If your driver is behaving in a way that make you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, make sure to speak up and tell him so.

Of course, not every accident involving a limo or limo bus is the limo driver's fault. So how should you react if your own car is involved in a crash with a limousine?

For starters, don't flee the scene like the driver in the Long Island crash did. You won't get away, so don't try.

In fact, your game plan should be no different than if you hit any other vehicle.

• If possible, move your car to a safe area WITHOUT leaving the scene of the crash.
• Make sure no one is injured; if so, call 911.
• Even if no one is hurt, contact the police to find out if an officer needs to be present.
• Exchange all contact info for every person present at the crash. Take pictures of the scene of the accident and swap insurance information.

There's no magic rule for hitting a limo. Just use common sense and keep a cool head like you would for any other crash. Be alert of oddly shaped or oversized vehicles, and let's all do our part to prevent limo accidents like the fatal crash in Long Island.