According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, four people were injured in two separate motor vehicle accidents over the weekend in Missouri.
On Friday afternoon, a 33 year-old Bonne Terre man suffered minor injuries when the Ford F-150 truck he was driving traveled off the right side of the road. He over-corrected and traveled off the left side of the road where the truck struck a pole. He was transported to Parkland North Health Center. The crash occurred on Route K west of Sickman Road in St. Francois County around 3:30 p.m. The reporting patrol indicated he was wearing his seatbelt.
The second accident was later that evening around 7:45 and was a two-vehicle crash on Highway 110 at Upper Plattin Road. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, a 2009 Pontiac G8, driven by a 21 year-old St. John, MO man was traveling west on Highway 110 when his car crossed the line while navigating a curve. The young man’s car collided head-on with a 2012 Chevrolet box truck driven by a 30 year-old man of Bloomsdale, MO who was traveling eastbound on Highway 110. The St. John man suffered serious injuries and was flown by Survival Flight helicopter to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. An occupant in the Pontiac, a 21-year old De Soto man suffered minor injuries and was transported to Mercy Hospital in Festus via ambulance.
The fourth victim was the driver of the box truck and he was transported to Mercy Hospital Jefferson, also via ambulance. According to the highway patrol, both drivers and the occupant were wearing safety belts at the time of the collision.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on motor vehicle collisions are usually considered to be one of the most serious of crashes. When two vehicles strike each other directly from the front, they are likely to cause devastating injuries and sometimes death. There are several reasons that head-on crashes are one of the most serious. First, two cars crashing into each other will usually strike with greater force than when cars hit at any other angle. In head-on collisions, frequently, the force of both cars is combined.
Another important reason head-on collisions are so dangerous is because the force of the crash is concentrated close to the driver and the front-seat passengers. Often, the victims can absorb the bulk of the force when cars hit head-on directly.
Safety Features:
Even though manufacturers continue to make cars safer, the head-on collision continues to be one of the most dangerous. Air-bags have been a major safety feature in improving the life and death injuries of crashes in general and head-on crashes specifically. As the trooper’s reported, the drivers and the occupant were wearing safety belts. While occupants can still be injured while wearing safety belts, restraints are often the difference between minor injury and death. Without restraints, victims can be thrown from the vehicle which is often fatal.
There are quite a few reasons for head-on collisions. In the article posted today, it simply stated the Pontiac G8 crossed the line while negotiating a curve. While listing some common reasons for head-on collisions, I want to be sure to state that the reason or reasons for Friday’s head-on crash discussed above have not been determined. Investigation into the crash scene, physical evidence of the vehicles, and statements are all critical to determining factors causing or contributing to the crash of last Friday night.
After years of studying automobile crashes, several reasons are “common” types of causes:
- Drunk drivers–drunk drivers tend to make bad driving decisions in general whether it is disobeying stop signs, speeding or swerving out of their lanes. Drunk drivers cause needless crashes every day.
- Drowsy drivers – At some point or the other, most of us have been classified as a “drowsy driver”. Life is busy and the way many of us keep in pace is to cut back on our hours of rest. This becomes problematic if you are doing something that requires full attention and alertness such as operating machinery and driving! Making a conscious effort to get plenty of rest before a long drive is important. A drowsy driver’s actions are delayed much as if they are under the influence. Driving while over tired increases your risk of completely falling asleep and hitting another car head-on and injuring others as well as yourself.
- Distracted driving- Distracted driving is the most common cause of motor vehicle crashes because distracted driving includes so many behaviors from putting on make-up in the car, turning around to discipline your child to texting. You can lose several seconds while distracted and that can equate to an amazing distance on the roadway. You can cover the length of a football field in the 2-3 seconds you spend reading a text!
- Unsafe passing. As we become so accustomed to four-lane roads, we often forget about the danger of passing. Because we spend so much time on four-lanes, we forget about the distance that you need to be able to clearly see before passing. Unsafe passing on two-lane or rural roads can be tremendously dangerous and can easily result in head-on collisions.
According to Fatal Analysis Reporting data:
Three out of four head-on crashes occur on rural roads and three out of four head-on wrecks occur on undivided two-lane roads.
Injuries from car crashes, specifically head-on car crashes can be devastating and often fatal. Injuries can vary from traumatic brain injury, internal injuries, broken bones, paralysis to cuts, bruise and lacerations. As well, injuries to the legs, hips and arms are common as well as injuries caused by air bags.
Because of the serious nature and life changing injuries frequently caused by head-on crashes, victims usually need legal representation. Our attorneys know and understand the difficult circumstances our clients and families face after an accident. Often, the medical treatment alone for such injuries can be daunting as well as future medical treatment and rehabilitation. When you or a family member has been involved in such a crash, negotiating with insurance companies and launching an investigation or following up on an investigation is just overwhelming. After such a crash, your first priority is recovery. We understand the complexity of gathering evidence including statements and using accident reconstruction experts as well as the negotiation process with insurance companies. Call on us seven days a week for a free consultation, locally (314) 276-1681 or toll free (800) 685-3302
