Motor vehicle collisions could happen in many ways, contributing to their severity. Sometimes, a crash could be minor, with little to no damage. However, some collisions could cause considerable damage, physical harm and fatalities. These deadly accidents could include head-on collisions.
This type of crash occurs when the vehicle collides with an object or another car without restraint in a full-frontal direction. These incidents usually generate massive force that could wreck vehicles and cause casualties. In 2020 alone, around 10% of fatal motor vehicle accidents consisted of head-on collisions.
Typically, head-on crashes are preventable. The following driving practices and behavior usually cause this type of accident:
- Driving while distracted: Doing so could cause drivers to crash into stationary obstructions.
- Intoxication: Drivers might lose control of their vehicle due to intoxication.
- Driving while tired or groggy: Dozing off behind the wheel could easily cause head-on collisions with other vehicles and nonmoving objects.
- Making improper passes: Unlawfully passing or crossing a double yellow line could put the vehicle in the path of another car, resulting in a head-on accident.
- Unintentional confusion: Some drivers might accidentally drive in the opposite direction of a one-way road.
- Aggressive or reckless driving behavior: These unsafe road maneuvers could make a driver lose control and restrain, leading to a severe crash.
Other contributing factors to head-on collisions include poor road designs and lacking traffic signs or lights. Knowing the cause of the head-on crash is crucial to determining who is at fault.
Knowing who is responsible
These collisions tend to result in fatalities, severe injuries and overwhelming damages. The costs for these losses could be too much for an average person to bear. It is vital to know who is responsible for the crash in case the victims need to pursue compensation.
Sometimes, it is easy to pinpoint the at-fault party. However, some cases require more thorough investigations, specifically if unsafe road design or vehicle defects contributed to the crash. Regardless, finding out who is at fault for the incident could help victims recover from damages caused by the preventable head-on collision.