A method for ascertaining a type of collision of a vehicle includes: receiving acceleration information items, via a reception interface, representing the accelerations of the vehicle in a vehicle longitudinal direction and a vehicle transverse direction; determining a first resultant acceleration information item from a first and a second acceleration information item; determining a second resultant acceleration information item from a third and a fourth acceleration information item; combining the first and second resultant acceleration information items to obtain at least one evaluation information item; and determining the collision type based on the at least one evaluation information item.