A traffic collision or a motor vehicle collision is the most common auto accident. It has been recorded in 2013 that 54 million people were injured due to traffic collisions. There were a total of 1.4 million deaths due to car accidents at the same span of time. Africa has the highest death rate while countries in Europe post the lowest death rate.
An auto accident can lead to a traumatic brain injury. In the US, it is the second leading cause of brain injuries next to falls. Alarmingly, it is the leading cause of head injuries related deaths. Such injury can result to an open wound in the head or a closed head injury.
The skull is penetrated during an open head injury while a concussion may be experienced by a person with a closed head injury. The skull is not fractured in a closed head injury. But closed injury can also lead to a fatal brain injury when there is bleeding and swelling in the brain.Surgery is a must in this situation.
An open head injury may be a result of penetration of portion of the broken windshield to the skull. In this instance, glass fragments are left in the brain. This injury will require surgery to fix the skull and remove glass fragments.
Causes
Fatal car accidents can be head-on collision which damages the front part of the speeding vehicle. It can throw a driver or a passenger seated in front of the vehicle forward, hitting his or her head against the windshield.
An auto accident may also be due to rear end contact, side collisions, road departure and a rollover.
Most vehicle accidents are a result of driver’s negligence or driver’s error. Reckless driver behavior, bad decision making and poor visual and auditory acuity will surely result to accidents. There has also been a constantly rising rate of accidents involving teens or drivers in their early twenties.
An auto accident can always be fatal. Not following the rules of the road threatens not only the life of a driver and his passengers but it also risks the life of other drivers and passengers of other vehicles and the pedestrians.
Use of cellphones or texting while driving distracts the user. This irresponsible action by drivers takes away their attention from what is ahead while driving on a a road or highway. The rise of accidents due to distracted driving has considerably increased. Governments made stricter rules against any driver using his cellphone while driving.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is very dangerous. Significantly, drunk drivers experience a highly impaired judged and slow reaction time which can definitely cause serious accidents. The ability to control a car or truck safely should always be of primary importance.
Prevention
The impact of an auto accident can be avoided through the timely deployment of vehicle airbag apparatus. A malfunctioning airbag with a slow deploying airbag can cause head injuries. Severe brain injury results when vehicle collides with another vehicle or hit an object or a wall. The efficiency of the airbag can be complemented with the right use of a seat belt.
Basically to avoid any auto accident, it is best to follow speed limits. Before getting on the road, make sure that your car is in tip top condition. These two are excellent ways to prevent an auto accident.
Do not drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol to ensure a safe drive or a trip back home.
Cars can use reinforced windshields such as high penetration resistant laminated windshields. This will decrease brain injuries when a vehicle is subjected to impact especially from its front portion.
What to Do in an Auto Accident
The person in a traffic vehicle accident should remain calm at all times.
If traveling with companions and you think you are unhurt, check at once if your fellow passengers are injured or not. If someone is injured, call the police or an ambulance immediately. Do not move the bodies of injured companions. Instead, wait for medical assistance unit to arrive.
A confrontation should be avoided if an accident happens and there are no serious injuries from both parties. The first thing the involved injury-free parties must do is to take images of the accident area and the surrounding vicinity. Pictures should be wide-angled to cover skid marks and lane markings.
Information regarding the vehicles such as plate number and personal information between involved parties should be exchanged. The damage parts of both vehicles must be documented through pictures. The date, time and location of the accident must be properly noted as well. Weather and road conditions at the time of the accident must also be recorded.
Car accidents must be reported to insurance companies within 24 hours to get appropriate claims in time. An injured person from an auto accident is entitled to claims. He has the right to recover damages from medical expenses, personal expenses, money lost from missing work and other expenses to be incurred in the future.
For vehicle accident claims, seek help only from a personal injury lawyer. He can guide you on what to do, what claims to make against the person or driver at fault for the auto accident.