Head-on Crashes Cause Serious Injuries

Head-on collisions are among the most dangerous types of car crashes. While they account for just 2% of all crashes nationwide, they are responsible for more than 10% of the total number of fatalities sustained every year in automobile accidents. This is in part because head-on collisions can cause severe spinal cord damage, brain injuries, and internal damage to organs.

Many of the city’s roads and highways are not protected by formal medians which makes the potential for head-on collisions even greater. Just last month, a local woman was killed when her vehicle traveled into the lane of oncoming traffic on I-215. Head-on collisions are more dangerous than other types of collisions because of the abrupt nature of the impact and near instant deceleration that occurs. The human body simply can’t absorb the personal injuries caused by the sudden shock and impacts that rapid deceleration can cause including the subsequent trauma of the head colliding with steering wheels, windows, dashes, etc.

Common causes of head-on collisions include failure to read road signs and entering onto a one way street, crossing an unprotected center line, incorrect passing, falling asleep at the wheel, speeding, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While many people assume that most head-on collisions occur on city streets or highways, the reality is that up to 83% of head-on collisions occur on rural, 2-lane roads such as the roads that are located throughout Clark County.

Drivers can reduce the possibility of suffering serious injuries in a head-on collision by wearing their seat belt and making sure that all passengers within the vehicle are properly secured in their seats, or within their child safety seats. These devices can reduce the possibility that an occupant will be ejected from the vehicle which is a leading cause of death in head-on collisions.

At 40 mph, a vehicle is traveling at nearly 58 feet per second. If two vehicles traveling at the same speed collide, the impact force is more than double what a driver would experience if they hit a solid object. And, when it comes to frontal collisions, vehicle design can make a considerable difference in whether a driver survives the accident or not. In fact, the better the vehicle’s crumple zone is at slowing the rate of deceleration and absorbing the impact, the greater the chances the driver and their passengers will survive the accident.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a head on collision, a car accident lawyer in Las Vegas can help you understand your rights and gain the compensation you deserve.