In a head-on crash, you collide with another vehicle’s front end. Both vehicles may have been traveling toward each other, or one of your vehicles may have been stopped.
While the front end of your vehicle is designed to crunch up and absorb the impact, that doesn’t mean that all of the energy of the impact will be dissipated. It is common to see injuries caused by forces that were passed on to the victims inside the vehicle.
In either case, hitting a vehicle head-on creates forces that make it more likely for you to suffer from whiplash, brain injuries or facial injuries. Why? The forward-and-back motion of the crash puts strain on your neck and puts you in a direct line of impact with the air bag, steering column or front windshield. Here is more information about each of these serious injuries and how they may occur.
- Whiplash
Whiplash happens when your head suddenly whips forward and back or side to side. With this injury, it’s likely that you will damage the tendons, nerves or ligaments of the neck. You may also suffer a brain injury from the brain hitting the inside of the skull.
- Brain injuries
Due to the forces that cause whiplash, it’s common to see a person with a brain injury after a front-end collision. A brain injury could be caused by the brain bouncing around inside the skull or be a result of a direct blow to the skull.
- Facial injuries
Facial injuries are also common in front-end collisions. The force of an air bag releasing into the vehicle, for example, may lead to abrasions or lacerations. An impact with the front windshield or steering column may lead to broken bones in the face, eye injuries or other issues.
Whiplash, brain injuries and facial injuries can all lead to long-term consequences, so it is important for you to seek medical attention as soon as you can. Early treatment may help minimize the risk of complications and secondary injuries as a result of a blow to the head or other injuries. After this, you can look into making a personal injury claim to seek compensation for your injuries.