Re: “car crash”, crash is the correct “real language”. The use of “accident” implies a lack of responsibility and that car crashes cannot be prevented or reduced. That isn’t true. Many studies show that crashes can be reduced via better engineering, road design, etc.
Calling it an accident definitely seems like softening the language.
https://dmv.vermont.gov/enforcement-and-safety/laws/crashes/...
It may turn out to be an accident, it may turn out to be an intentional act. It may turn out to be unclear or irrelevant which it is. But what is known initially (and often all that is ever resolved) is that it is a collision.
In normal use, "accident" just means it's unintentional.
People talk about preventing accidents all the time.
Here in NZ car accident is much more natural to say than car crash.
Although even that has subtleties.
"I got in to a car accident" would be the normal turn of phrase, but if remove the "car" and the "I" then crash becomes more likely: "There was a crash on State Highway 1".