Any type of accident can cause severe injuries and fatalities particularly when they happen at a high speed. However some accident types are especially deadly to the occupants of the vehicles. Why is this useful to know? Because the information is useful in choosing the safest type of vehicles to drive and in minimizing the consequences of an accident when making last second emergency maneuvers before a crash. Here are three of the most deadly types of car crashes:
The Head-On Collision
It is well known that speed kills. This is why head-on collisions are so deadly. When two cars collide in this way, their speeds add together. In other words, two cars traveling at 60 mph that meet in a head-on crash hit each other at a relative speed of 120 mph. This is far worse than a car hitting a stationary car at 60 mph.
Another type of head-on collision that is equally deadly is the high-speed collision into a fixed solid object. Because the object has no give (and therefore absorbs very little crash energy), the car sustains a lot of damage. Hitting a solid stone, concrete wall, or a solid oak tree are examples of this type of collision.
The T-Bone or Side Impact Collision
Cars have bumpers and large crumple zones that protect against collisions occurring in the front and rear. However, the side door is a thin and flimsy barrier which offers little protection against a side impact. This type of collision can happen at intersections where a car crossing the intersection is broadsided by another car running a red light.
The Rollover Accident
The rollover accident subjects the occupants to violent rolling motions. While seatbelts prevent the occupants from getting tossed about within the car, the upper shoulder belt does little to prevent sideways motion of the victim’s upper torso. Unbelted occupants suffer the most injury of all and are often ejected from the car. The roof can also collapse if it has a weak structure.
If you sustained an injury in a car crash because of another driver, contact us for a free case evaluation.
