Motor vehicle collisions have the potential to change someone’s life in a matter of moments. When crashes occur, they cause very expensive property damage. They can also leave people with major injuries. People can sustain injuries to their brains and spinal cords. They can lose body parts or break their bones into multiple pieces.
Every crash is different from the next because a variety of factors can influence what consequences the collision generates. Three factors, in particular, tend to have a major influence on how severe the collision is and the likelihood of catastrophic injuries.
1. The speed of the vehicles
The traveling speed of the vehicles involved in the crash is one of the most important factors. Slower vehicle speeds prior to collisions mean the crash involves less momentum. The wreck is therefore less likely to generate massive injuries and significant property damage.
Collisions at higher speeds have the potential to be far more severe. They can result in totaled vehicles that are unsafe to drive and fatal injuries.
2. The angle of approach
The way that the vehicles collide with each other has a major influence on the outcome of the crash. For example, head-on collisions can be particularly serious when people do not use safety restraints.
Side-impact or angle collisions are the most likely to prove fatal because of the lack of safety systems integrated into vehicles. The direction from which the vehicles encounter each other can have a significant influence on the outcome of the wreck.
3. The size of the vehicles
Some vehicles are several times larger than others, and vehicles of all sizes have to share the roads. Bigger, heavier vehicles cause more damage.
Particularly in scenarios where there is a significant discrepancy in size between the two vehicles, the crash could potentially cause far more serious damage to the smaller vehicle. The occupants in a sedan that collides with a semi-truck are far more likely than the people in the semi-truck to sustain major injuries, for example.
When motor vehicle collisions do occur, the people affected often need support as they pursue compensation. Filing insurance claims or even lawsuits can help people recoup financial losses and demand accountability from the party at fault.