Head-On Collisions

Because of the force of a head-on collision, the likelihood of serious injuries and/or death is very common. Ten percent of all fatal car crashes are head-on crashes in the United States. The force of two moving bodies colliding head-on results in an enormous amount of transferred energy. That transference runs through the vehicles to its drivers and passengers. This is Newton’s Third Law of Physics: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” The kinetic energy of a head-on collision can be determined in a formula in physical law equaling; 1/2 mass times velocity (squared). It’s as though the speed of one vehicle can be doubled to absorb the full impact in a head-on car crash.

The thrust of a head-on crash between two moving vehicles, whether a truck and a car, two cars, two trucks create enormous damage and cause great such great force that injury or death to the drivers and passengers is all too common. About 10% of all Illinois highway deaths occur in head-on crashes. The speed and weight of the two vehicles are to be considered when trying to measure the crush and force of the crash.

Too often these crashes occur because of a number of driver negligence. For example, drunk driving, texting while driving, sleep deprived truckers, new drivers without experience and sufficient driving time, foul weather conditions, speeding and straight inadvertence are all major reasons head-on crashes occur. I can recall one frightening experience a client shared with me about when she, having just arrived at an airport, picked up her rental car and began to drive the nearby highway to her destination when another driver on this divided freeway was driving on the wrong side of the road heading at high speed directly into her path. But for her very quick reaction by steering off to the far right, she would have been unquestionably seriously injured or killed by what could have been a high impact head-on crash. She was a survivor, but many are not so fortunate.

When you or someone you know has been a party to a head-on collision, it is best to turn to experienced Chicago attorneys. Kreisman Law Offices has been handling head-on collisions for more than 40 years in and around Cook County and its surrounding areas in Illinois, including Will, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Kankakee and LaSalle counties. Many difficult issues arise because of those severely injured in a head-on collision, including medical bills, insurance adjusters and accident reconstruction of the crash.

It is imperative that an experienced lawyer be hired immediately to assist the injured and family of the injured. Investigation of the head-on collision is most important. Many vehicles contain computer boxes that can identify the vehicle’s speed, the braking efforts and the force of impact.

Head-on collisions are devastating because of the transferred force of the crash. Closing speeds between the vehicles is multiplied by the speed of both cars and trucks involved. The traumatic effects of a head-on car crash to the occupants are devastating. Many head-on crashes cause interior fires in the vehicles.

According to the National Safety Council, about 40% of the drivers killed in head-on car accidents may have been actually good drivers. However, injuries and death due to head-on collisions occur because of various reasons. These include: recklessness of the other driver; drivers driving the wrong way on a one-way street; drivers proceeding too fast for conditions in construction zones; drivers driving too fast in bad weather; drivers choosing not to use headlights after dark.

Other factors related to head-on collisions compiled by the National Safety Council include drivers distracted by cell phones, vision obstructions because of winding roads or drivers passing inappropriately. In addition vehicle defects, tire deflation, braking system failure, fuel line defects and whole host of other possible product or manufacturing defects can be a cause of head-on crashes. That is why it is very important to contact experienced attorneys who have the know-how to investigate the crash, the site, and the vehicles and to locate and interview all possible witnesses, including reporting police officers.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a head-on car accident, please call us for an immediate free consultation. With our years of experience in trying and settling auto accident cases, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our many clients and achieves unsurpassed results. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online.

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