The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word SHUNTS
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
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More clues leading to the result SHUNTS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Car crashes" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case car crashes = shunts.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SHUNTS mean?
SHUNTS noun- An act of moving (suddenly), as due to a push or shove.
- A connection used as an alternative path between parts of an electrical circuit.
- The shifting of the studs on a projectile from the deep to the shallow sides of the grooves in its discharge from a shunt gun.
- An abnormal passage between body channels.
- A passage between body channels constructed surgically as a bypass; a tube inserted into the body to create such a passage.
- A switch on a railway used to move a train from one track to another.
- A minor collision between vehicles.
- To cause to move (suddenly), as by pushing or shoving; to give a (sudden) start to.
- To divert to a less important place, position, or state.
- To provide with a shunt.
- To move data in memory to a physical disk.
- To divert electric current by providing an alternative path.
- To move a train from one track to another, or to move carriages, etc. from one train to another.
- To have a minor collision, especially in a motor car.
- To divert the flow of a body fluid.
- To turn aside or away; to divert.