Philadelphia Head On Accident Attorney
A head on collision is a type of car accident that typically occurs when a driver drifts from their lane and crosses a centerline or a median subsequently crashing into the front of an approaching vehicle. Unlike other car crashes where a car makes contact with a fixed object such as a utility pole or tree, in head-on collisions two vehicles are moving in opposite directions typically at high speeds when they make contact colliding with one another. Due to the complexity and severity of this accident, it is important to call a Philadelphia head on accident lawyer who understands all the legal matters behind these specific accidents.
Head On Collision Statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in their 2005 road statistics found that only 2 percent of all traffic accidents were head-on crashes, yet nationally they accounted for 10 percent of all fatal traffic accidents in the United States. Very often injuries from a head on collision are more severe than other type of collisions because of the sheer force and velocity involved in head-on crashes. Injuries suffered from head on crashes can include the following, brain injury, head injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, broken bones, whiplash, lacerations, burn injuries, or loss of life.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a head on collision in Philadelphia, you may want to find out what your legal rights are following such a crash. The auto accident and Philadelphia wrongful death attorneys at our firm helps clients recover compensation. A Philadelphia head on accident lawyer can help to establish whether an at-fault party can be held liable for the injury and turmoil that has been created as a result of the head-on car crash.
Typically head on collisions occur because a driver is distracted, be it caused by texting, adjusting the radio, being sleep deprived, lost in a train of thought, or even talking on the phone. While victims of head on collisions tend to suffer serious injuries, a recent study came out that suggests a driver of an SUV is 10 times more likely to survive a head-on collision than a passenger car. The Detroit Bureau, released the initial finding of the University of Buffalo study in which Dr. Dietrich Jehle, a professor of emergency medicine at New York’s Erie County Medical Center and one of the authors of the study, stated, “The overwhelming majority of fatalities occur in the smaller and lighter of the two vehicles.” The study also compares the safety rating of the two vehicles involved in a head-on collision. When the passenger vehicle has the better rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the driver is still four times more likely to die than the driver of the SUV.
While maintaining your awareness and leaving enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you is critical in avoiding head-on collisions, cars with strong safety cages help to resist deformation in a crash which in turn can help maintain survival space for the driver. It may take a split-second decision to avoid a head-on collision thus driving when you are fully alert is paramount. Defensive driving techniques can be the difference between property damage and serious injury.
Contact a Philadelphia Head On Accident Lawyer
If you would like more information regarding head-on collisions, please contact us online for a free case evaluation.