Causes of Head-on Collisions

Causes of Head-on Collisions

By Pyle Law, Reviewed by E. Thomas Pyle February 04 2020 9:43 pm

While every car accident is serious and dangerous, head-on collisions are next-level terrifying and dangerous. No one has to tell you why head-on collisions are so dangerous – the thought alone is frightening enough. If you or a loved one has been injured in a head-on collision, consult with an experienced Kansas car accident attorney today. 

Common Causes

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), 10.2 percent of fatal traffic accidents in 2016 were caused by head-on collisions. While head-on collisions seem like they should be easily avoidable, they happen far more often than they should, and there are several common causes that include:

• Driving the Wrong Way – If a car is coming at you from the wrong direction, it’s likely the last thing you expect, and it can be extremely difficult to avoid a head-on collision. Why would a motorist head the wrong way on an exit, a highway entrance, or a one-way road? The answer can range from poor signage to bad lighting, distracted driving, drowsy driving, and/or impaired driving.

• Crossing the Road’s Centerline – Our roads have centerlines for a reason – to help motorists stay in their lanes. This is especially important on divided highways when oncoming traffic is in the very next lane. When a driver chooses to pass and it isn’t safe to do so, head-on collisions can occur. Further, a motorist who speeds excessively or fails to take adverse road conditions – including weather – into consideration is far more likely to cause a dangerous head-on collision by crossing the centerline.
• Taking Curves Too Quickly – Motorists are responsible for driving safely in relation to the road itself, including the condition of the road. When drivers take curves too quickly, the physics of the situation make losing control of one’s vehicle and causing a head-on collision that much more likely.
• Speeding Excessively – The fact is that speed is a factor in nearly every kind of dangerous traffic accident. Motorists who speed excessively put everyone with whom they share the road in danger.  And because speed is closely related to a driver’s ability to control his or her vehicle, a speeding driver has a far better chance of being involved in a head-on collision. 
• Driving while Impaired, Drowsy, or Distracted – When we get behind the wheel of our vehicles, we take on the immense responsibility of driving safely. When a motorist chooses to drive while impaired, drowsy, and/or distracted, that driver puts everyone at risk and increases the odds that a head-on collision will occur.

If You’ve Been Injured in a Head-On Collision, You Need the Professional Legal Counsel of an Experienced Kansas Car Accident Attorney 

A head-on accident is obviously an extremely serious accident that requires legal attention. If another motorist leaves you injured in a head-on accident, attorney Tom Pyle at Pyle Law in McPherson, Kansas, is on your side. Mr. Pyle is a formidable car accident attorney who’s committed to fighting for your rights and for your case’s best possible resolution. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at (888) 381-1155 for more information today.