When a motorist’s negligence is so immense that they end up barreling forward while traveling in the wrong direction, it’s a serious accident risk. Head-on crashes require an experienced attorney’s counsel.
If another driver’s negligence causes you to be injured in a head-on accident, it’s time to discuss the matter with an experienced Plantation car accident lawyer at Scarfone Auto Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys.
How Head-On Collisions Happen
Head-on collisions tend to result from risky driving, such as when a motorist is driving so fast that they don’t allow themselves enough time to make the kind of adjustments necessary to avoid driving in the wrong direction. Further, being seriously impaired can lead to an error of this level.
Additionally, head-on collisions can be precipitated by a vehicle that gets sideswiped into an oncoming lane of traffic – thus making the accident a multiple-car affair, which means the claim will be much more challenging. Serious distraction can also lead a motorist to take a devastatingly wrong turn into oncoming traffic – or to veer out of their lane into oncoming traffic.
How Common Are Head-On Collisions?
Head-on collisions are dramatic accidents that you may think are relatively rare. Unfortunately, however, the statistics do not bear this out. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that, in 2020, head-on collisions accounted for more traffic fatalities than every category of accident other than angle collisions. Consider that head-on collisions accounted for 5,000 deaths, accounting for 28.6 percent of the total fatalities.
How Driver Negligence Contributes to Head-On Crashes
There is no shortage of driver negligence on our roads.
Impairment
Drunk drivers are dangerous drivers, and the higher their blood alcohol content (BAC), the more dangerous they become. As a motorist’s BAC rises, all the following occur:
- Their ability to pay attention to the road becomes more impaired.
- They experience fewer inhibitions and less impulse control.
- Their ability to handle their vehicles safely is impaired.
- Their vision can become blurred, and seeing double can be an issue.
- Their ability to make safe decisions is seriously compromised.
Drunk driving plays far too consequential a role in head-on collisions.
Excess speed
As a driver’s speed increases, the risk they pose does the same. Consider the following:
- With increased speed, there is less time and space on the road to react safely to whatever the motorist encounters.
- With increased speed, the motorist has far less opportunity to correct any driving errors, such as almost heading in the wrong direction into traffic.
- With increased speed, the motorist sets the stage for dangerous driving accidents and increases the risk that they will be deadly – the way head-on accidents often are.
It’s important to recognize that speeding is not only a function of exceeding the speed limit but also refers to driving too fast in relation to factors such as the following:
- The effects of bad weather
- Low visibility
- Poorly maintained roads
- Heavy traffic
- Road construction
- Poor signage
Exhaustion
Drowsy drivers can pose as significant a risk as drunk drivers do. The more tired the motorist, the more dangerous, and because it is impossible to know when a motorist will nod off, it’s difficult to pinpoint the dividing line between garden variety risk and immense risk. Because drowsy drivers can have more difficulty making well-informed, safe decisions, exhaustion can also play a pivotal role in head-on collisions.
Related Losses
The losses you experience due to a head-on crash can be overwhelming.
Medical costs
The injuries you sustain can lead to medical bills that extend far into your future. Having a solid understanding of your complete medical needs is critical to your ability to obtain just compensation that allows you to heal.
Lost income
If you’re seriously injured, it’s unlikely that you will be returning to work anytime soon, and a head-on collision can leave you permanently disabled, which translates to a lifetime of lost earnings.
Pain and suffering
The pain and suffering associated with a terrifying head-on collision can leave a lasting impact on your life ahead.
Property damage to your car
A head-on collision can easily total even a new vehicle.
Injured in a Head-On Crash? Speak With a Plantation Car Accident Lawyer
Rocco Scarfone manages and litigates head-on car accident cases. At Scarfone Auto Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys in Plantation, Florida, we are well-equipped to help clients successfully recover on their losses after being injured in life-threatening head-on collisions. We’re here for you, so pick up the phone and call Scarfone at 561-609-1200 or contact us online for more information today.