Head-On Collisions are Frequently Deadly or Leave Survivors Severely Injured

Head-on (or frontal) collisions are often deadly accidents because so much force is sent through both vehicles when they collide. They can happen at any time of day or type of road. Head-on collisions are another reason drivers need to stay focused because  if someone’s coming the wrong way, you’re approaching each other at high speeds.

Head-on crashes cause about 14% of vehicle accident deaths each year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. There were an average of 5,248 fatalities in these accidents annually from 2016 to 2018. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety claims that 59% of vehicle accident fatalities in 2021 (or 15,742 deaths) were the result of frontal collisions.

Often, people don’t walk away from head-on crashes:

• One person was killed and two seriously injured in a head-on collision in Harrison County in April, after a vehicle drifted into traffic coming the opposite way, reports WLWT
• Eight people were killed in a head-on crash in California in February, according to NBC News. An elderly man in a pickup truck entered opposing traffic and struck a minivan full of passengers. The pickup driver and seven in the minivan were killed

Whether someone survives a head-on collision may depend on the vehicles’ speeds and whether occupants use seatbelts or are thrown from the vehicle.

What is a Head-On Collision?

A head-on (or frontal) collision involves two vehicles striking each other, front-ends first. They do not happen often, but they are some of the deadliest types of vehicle accidents, causing a significant number of road fatalities.

What Causes Head-On Collisions?

A vehicle may start going in the right direction on a roadway and then enter the oncoming lane. A driver may use a highway exit as an on-ramp, then travel into oncoming traffic.

Frontal collisions may be caused by:

• Distracted driving: A driver texting, using a smartphone, changing a radio station, adjusting air conditioning, or focusing on a child or pet in the vehicle may not notice their vehicle is drifting into oncoming traffic, which can happen quickly if they’re driving on a curve
• Fatigued driving: Falling asleep or feeling drowsing while driving impairs the driver’s ability to control the vehicle, their perception of what’s going on, their focus on the road ahead, and their ability to react in time to prevent heading into the opposing lane
• Impaired driving: Consuming alcohol and illegal or prescription drugs may cause drowsiness, slow reaction times, impaired coordination, judgment, and self-control. An impaired driver may enter a highway by using an exit ramp, sending them into opposing traffic. A medical event like a heart attack, stroke, or seizure may impair the driver and send the vehicle into oncoming traffic
• Dangerous passing: Trying to pass another vehicle where and when it’s unsafe can lead to a front collision. Misjudging the speed or distance of oncoming vehicles can cause these crashes
• Loss of control: In addition to driver issues, this could be caused by a vehicle problem, like brake failure, a tire blowout, or hydroplaning on wet pavement

There could be multiple causes in a crash, like an impaired driver unsafely passing a slower vehicle in bad weather.

What Injuries Could be Caused in a Frontal Collision?

Depending on the speed of the collision, the vehicle’s size, its safety features, occupants’ use of seatbelts, and whether the vehicles struck each other straight on or at an angle, there could be many types of injuries, some of them fatal or permanent and disabling.

They include the following:

• Chest and abdomen injuries: The lungs, heart, and major blood vessels could be severely injured. Lungs could collapse, and ribs may break. If the aorta (the main blood vessel carrying oxygenated blood from the heart) is torn the person will probably bleed to death. The liver, spleen, digestive organs, and kidneys could be injured. That could cause severe internal bleeding or the release of toxins into the abdominal cavity
• Head and Face Injuries: A traumatic brain injury (TBI) could include brain damage due to brain tissue hitting the inside of the skull or being deprived of blood due to bleeding blood vessels. A skull fracture could put bone fragments into the brain. A vehicle occupant could also have a severe concussion that may impact them for the rest of their life. A person may have severe cuts, broken bones, and bruises on their face
• Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries: Vehicle occupants may be subject to whiplash, where the force of the crash over-extends muscles, nerves, and tendons in the neck and back. A spinal cord could be damaged or severed, causing paralysis (which may be total or partial) and death

Someone surviving a frontal collision but dealing with these injuries may need multiple surgeries, extensive medical treatment, and years of physical and psychological therapy. Crash survivors and family members of someone killed in a frontal collision may be able to obtain compensation from the responsible driver’s insurance carrier.

Speak To A Louisville Car Accident Attorney Near You

We are your boots on the ground if you or a family member were injured or killed in a Kentucky head-on accident. Call Satterley & Kelley PLLC to speak with a skilled personal injury lawyer at our Louisville office toll-free at 855-385-9532 or complete our online contact form to get started.