Head-on car accidents take place when two vehicles moving in opposite directions crash directly into each other. Often, these accidents are deadly or result in significant injury and property damage. Although statistically less common than other types of vehicle accidents, they often account for a significant portion of deaths caused by car accidents because the vehicles are often going at high speeds and the impacts of these accidents result in devastating consequences.
According to a recent news report, a head-on crash between a pickup truck and a passenger van killed nine people last week. Officials reported that the truck collided with a 17 person passenger van carrying members of the men’s and women’s golf teams from a local university other head-on and caught on fire on a two-lane road. Two people who were in the pickup truck were killed, along with seven of the nine people in the passenger van. Among those who were killed, six of the victims in the passenger van were college students and one was their golf coach. Other students who were injured were flown to surrounding hospitals for treatment and were reportedly in critical condition. The accident remains under investigation.
What Are the Common Causes of Head-on Collisions?
Many head-on accidents frequently take place on two-lane roads, where there is only one lane going in each direction. This often means that if you are behind a slow vehicle, you must cross the center line—which may put you in the line of oncoming traffic—to pass the vehicle ahead of you. Unfortunately, many drivers end up in head-on accidents because they attempt to pass the vehicle ahead of them and instead fail to account for oncoming traffic and end up in a major collision. Although this is sometimes caused by reckless and speeding drivers, this also takes place because the driver could not see oncoming traffic or underestimated the speed at which oncoming traffic was moving. Poor road conditions and weather can also exacerbate these circumstances.
Other times, vehicles coming in the opposite direction may drift across the center line and into oncoming traffic and cause a head-on collision. Usually, these drivers are driving while drowsy, have limited visibility, are operating their vehicles recklessly or negligently, or are driving under the influence. Whatever the reason, it can be terrifying to be driving along and suddenly realize that you are about to collide head-on with another vehicle going full speed. Because these two-lane roads often lack a shoulder for drivers to pull over onto to get out of the way or drivers realize too late that they are about to crash, the consequences following these accidents are often severe.
Do You Need a Maryland Car Accident Attorney?
If you or someone you love was recently injured or killed in a Maryland car accident or personal injury accident, contact the lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen today. Our attorneys have years of experience fighting for the injured and will tirelessly advocate for you to get the compensation you deserve. To schedule a free initial consultation with a member of our team today, contact us at 800-654-1949.