Of all the kinds of automobile collisions that can take place, one of the most dangerous is a head-on crash. When you think about how a head-on crash takes place, you can imagine both vehicles traveling at speed hitting one another. The force in an impact like this is much stronger than the force in a crash where both vehicles are traveling at the same speed.
A frontal crash like this is more likely to result in serious harm or fatalities than other kinds. One reason for this is because the individuals inside the vehicles are more likely to be stopped abruptly.
Being safe in a head-on crash is difficult, but some of the things that could help prevent a serious injury or death include:
- Wearing a seat belt, which is said to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passengers by as much as 45%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Using child safety seats, which can prevent a significant impact from shaking a child too violently.
- Purchasing a vehicle with electronic stability control. Any vehicle model from 2012 or later should have ESC, based on NHTSA requirements.
Did you know that 1,190 people were killed in traffic accidents in Pennsylvania in 2018? Many of those cases involved head-on crashes, which can be avoided. How? Some good tips for avoiding a head-on crash include:
- Paying close attention to the road and where the center line is located
- Avoiding traveling closely to the center line
- Driving in areas with concrete barriers between opposite lanes
- Follow traffic laws and reducing your speed based on the conditions
- Avoiding distractions, so you can pay attention to the road
- Using your horn to alert someone who has crossed the center line ahead of you prior to taking your own evasive measures
Head-on crashes generally occur as a result of distractions, drunk driving or failing to maneuver a vehicle correctly. If a driver falls asleep behind the wheel, is too intoxicated to drive safely or looks away from the road, then a collision is much more likely.
What should you do if you're involved in a traffic collision?
If you're hit by another driver, stay where you are and call 911. Even if you feel fine, you may have injuries that aren't yet apparent, so it's important for you to go to the hospital and have a full medical exam to check yourself over.