On a police report once I saw both words used in the same paragraph!
2006-12-02 03:12:52 · 13 answers · asked by sandra b 5 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
An accident is anything unintentional and an incident is anything intentional
2006-12-02 03:45:43 · answer #1 · answered by Robert A 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Anything that happens is an incident. An accident is an incident that was unforseen and usually has unfortunate consequences.
Although you can have a happy accident. Columbus found the Americas by accident.
2006-12-02 11:22:34 · answer #2 · answered by Dr Know It All 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No disrespect, but police officers aren't known for flawless grammar and usage!
An incident is a general term for something that happens. It usually doesn't indicate anything good, but it's sort of a neutral term.
An accident is more specific. It refers to something that wasn't intended to happen and which caused a problem.
2006-12-02 11:24:15 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All accidents are incidents.But the converse need not be true.
An accident happens unexpectedly causing damage.
An incident is simply an event.
2006-12-02 11:43:56 · answer #4 · answered by balaGraju 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the incident is the fact of the accident. Accident is what happened... the incident is another way to name what happend.
2006-12-02 11:21:00 · answer #5 · answered by *live,laugh,love* 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An accident is something that happens that was beyond your control and an incident is anything that happens, be it your doing or not.
2006-12-02 11:19:55 · answer #6 · answered by Dan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An accident is something that didnt mean to happen but it did, an incident is referring to the evnt that happened, weather it was an accident or not
2006-12-02 11:16:03 · answer #7 · answered by SuPeRsTaR 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An incident is when you are at fault and want to pay to keep it off your record. A accident is when it there fault and you want to sue the hell out of them.
2006-12-02 11:21:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think the police have any intention to define one from another, they probably just use the words interchangably. Obviously the words are not the same, but the police are probably not that literate.
2006-12-02 11:16:56 · answer #9 · answered by victorschool1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Accident is when I cut my finger. Incident is when you walk into an open sewer and die."
2006-12-02 12:30:48 · answer #10 · answered by Rose Dew 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋