Different Types of Car Accidents
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer. There are many kinds of car accidents. Some are more serious than others, and the injuries that occur between accident types vary. A team of professionals recently conducted an extensive literature review of the many different car accidents that have been reported. The first type of car accident was the side-impact car accident.
If the hood of the car is defined as 12 o’clock and the rear of the vehicle is 6 o’clock, a side-impact car accident is defined as an accident where one of the two cars was impacted at either 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock. One of the most common injuries that are seen in a side impact car accident is a pelvic injury. This may include a pelvic fracture or a hip fracture. This type of injury results when a pillar (a vertical piece of metal frame) of the car intrudes inside the vehicle. This pillar is frequently destroyed in a side-impact car accident and can significantly damage the pelvis. Other common injuries in a side-impact car accident include:
- Femur Fracture
- Tibia Fracture
- Foot and Ankle Injuries
Oblique Car Accidents
Another type of car accident is called an oblique car accident. In contrast to a side-impact car accident, an oblique car accident typically occurs at an angle of around 1:30 or 10:30. While it might also be defined as an accident at 7:30 or 4:30, the prior angles result in more injuries because these leave the driver and front passenger vulnerable.
According to the Federal Register, the most common injuries resulting from an oblique car accident include:
- Chest Injuries: These are the most severe injuries resulting from oblique car accidents. This type of chest trauma can lead to rib fractures, lung damage, and heart problems.
- Upper Extremity: Including radius and ulna fractures, these come from a collapse of the door, shattered glass from the windows, and damage to the frame of the door.
Other less common injuries include damage to the abdomen, hip, knee, and thigh.
Rollover Accidents
The most severe auto accident is undoubtedly the rollover accident. A rollover accident refers to a car accident where a car completes at least one-half revolution, moving from its wheels (on the ground) to its hood on the ground. People are prone to numerous traumatic injuries. However, the most severe damage is to the head. When a car flips, gravity pulls the head of the passengers to the hood of the car. These impacts can be severe and lead to a variety of head injuries, including:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Skull Fractures
- Concussions
- Cerebral Contusions
- Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries
These injuries could leave people with permanent complications. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to memory loss, personality changes, and loss of executive functions. Spinal cord injuries can lead to motor loss, sensory changes, and even paralysis.
Future Studies are Needed
While this study helps shed some light on the variety of injuries that someone can develop in different car accidents, more studies are needed. There are many other variables related to car accidents that could alter these results. Some of the other factors playing a role in the severity of a car crash include:
- Weather: Ice, snow, and rain all increase the chances of a car accident. The worse the weather, the more severe the accident.
- Speed: The faster the cars are traveling at the time of impact, the more forceful the collision. Higher speeds result in more severe injuries.
- Fatigue: Some people fall asleep while driving. If this occurs, people do not hit the brakes before impact. This results in more severe collisions.
- Age: In general, teenage drivers are more likely to be involved in a car accident than a more experienced driver.
Related Articles
Car Accident Lawyers in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer. If you or a family member has been injured in a car accident, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. I will be happy to offer friendly, free advice.
I am pleased to be a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
You can look over many of our verdicts or settlements page.
You’re also welcome to visit Yelp, Avvo, and Google to see our past client reviews.
Image Attribution: The rollover car crash image at the start of this article was seen first on Unsplash. The photo has been printed here with permission
:dr cha [cs 764] cv