Head-on and Rear-End Crashes
Columbus, Ohio
Insurance companies and government agencies classify many types of car crashes. Among the most common types of car accidents are head-on and rear-end collisions. Both types of automobile accidents have distinctive characteristics and can result in a variety of injuries.
Factors of Rear-End Crashes
The most common type of motor vehicle collision on Ohio roadways is the rear-end crash. Of the 320,876 car accidents reported in 2008, 83,640 were a rear-end crash. Causes of rear-end crashes include the following:
- Following too closely behind a vehicle
- Excessive speed
- Driver inattention
Of the 1099 Ohio car accident fatalities that occurred in 2008, 61 were the result of a rear-end crash.
Common Injuries Suffered in Rear-End Crashes
While rear-end collisions typically occur at lower rates of speed than other common types of car accidents, rear-end crashes frequently result in a number of unique injuries because of the sudden acceleration and deceleration during the crash. These unique injuries include:
- Neck and back strains/sprains
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
Even if you do not hit your head in an accident, your brain may move inside your skull, resulting in a concussion or internal bruising.
Factors of Head-On Crashes
Head-on crashes are among the most deadly types of car accidents on Ohio's highways. In 2008, there were only 7,712 reported head-on crashes in Ohio, but those resulted in 154 fatalities. The mortality rate of head-on collisions is probably higher than other types of collisions because the impact speeds of the vehicles involved in head-on crashes are frequently greater. Higher impact speeds generate greater physical forces, resulting in much more damage to the vehicles involved.
Some of the leading causes of head-on crashes include:
- Unsafe passing
- Driver inattention
- Drunk driving
- Falling asleep at the wheel
Common Injuries Suffered in Head-On Crashes
Injuries in head-on crashes are usually more severe than in other types of car accidents. Drivers and passengers are all at greater risk of being injured in a head-on collision. Some of the more common types of injuries in head-on crashes include:
- Air-bag burns
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Broken bones
Head-on crash injuries also frequently result in longer recovery times and greater medical expenses.
If you were involved in either a head-on or rear-end crash, contact Columbus, Ohio personal injury attorney Robert W. Kerpsack Co., L.P.A., to schedule a free, no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your legal rights.
