While all traffic collisions have the potential to be severe, head-on collisions are by far the worst. According to The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 56 percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2018 were caused by head-on collisions, compared to only 23 percent of fatalities from side-impact crashes. Those who do survive head-on collisions, also known as frontal crashes, are likely to experience severe injuries that can take months or years to recover from.
If you were injured in a front-end crash caused by someone else’s negligence, do not hesitate to contact a car accident attorney to go over your legal options. A San Jose head-on collision lawyer at Solution Now Law Firm could help you pursue the compensation you need and deserve.
When a car is traveling down the road at 35 mph and hits another car that is traveling 40 mph, the impact is the same as it would be for a car hitting a wall at 75 mph. This type of high energy collision often ends in extreme injuries for all occupants, including traumatic brain injury, facial injuries, spinal injuries, whiplash, and fractured limbs and ribs. As our San Jose head-on accident attorneys know all to well, even when seatbelts are worn properly and airbags deploy as designed, head-on collisions often end in permanent injury or death. Even worse, Gear Patrol highlights that frontal crashes are rarely “clean”, where the vehicle impacts squarely, hitting the entire front of the other car. Instead, many frontal crashes are off-set, whereby only 25 percent of less of the car’s exterior actually collides with another vehicle. This can cause the car to pivot or spin and potentially hit other vehicles or objects nearby. The rotation this causes means a driver and passenger are not simply thrown forward towards the airbag, but can also be thrown rapidly to the side or bounce off the airbag during the rotation and suffer injuries from other objects within the car. Off-set crashes also reduce the effectiveness of a car’s front crumple zone that is meant to protect the occupants. Due to all of these factors, victims of head-on collisions face a barrage of injuries, sometimes over the course of multiple seconds of impact due to collision with other vehicles or objects, or the road if a rollover occurs.
Head-on car accidents are most often caused by a driver becoming distracted and drifting across the lane divider and into oncoming traffic. In these circumstances, looking away from the road for even a few seconds can have devastating consequences. Common distractions include cell phones, eating food, and speaking with passengers in the backseat.
Less-experienced drivers may also accidentally turn onto highway ramps or one-way roads the wrong way. Alternatively, someone may swerve into another lane because of a sudden hazard, such as an animal running into the road. Head-on accidents can also result from someone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which may lead to additional DUI charges. Courts may award punitive damages in DUI cases or other head-on accidents involving particularly reckless conduct.
The impact in a head-on crash can send both vehicles spinning out in different directions, and when everything stops, it can be difficult to tell exactly where both vehicles were traveling from prior to colliding. Anyone harmed should seek immediate medical attention that treats and documents all injuries. In the meantime, a San Jose head-on crash attorney could help prove that the other driver is liable by compiling police reports, witness statements, and any evidence from the accident scene into a compelling case.
Often a frontal collision will send victims to the hospital with injuries. It is easy to become inundated with the medical treatment along with upheaval that crash caused and set aside the issue of how to recover compensation for the damages sustained. An experienced San Jose head-on collision lawyer from the Solution Now Law Firm can help get your personal injury case started. We can meet you in a location that is easiest for you given your injuries. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.