There are fewer accidents these days, but more incidents. Not because the nature of unexpected occurrences has changed, but because people have altered the words they are using to describe them.For instance, those illuminated signs above the motorway now warn of an “incident ahead” rather than an “accident”. You can be pretty sure they are not referring to some amusing episode worthy of turning into an anecdote.All accidents are incidents: not all incidents are accidents. An accident is more specific and meaningful. An incident is vague and generalised.“Accident” comes from the Latin accidere, to fall away or to happen. It is in all the Romance languages and came to us from French. There is a secondary meaning: an “accident” is something tha