Most Dangerous Types of Car Accidents
Any type of car accident has the potential to inflict serious and life-altering injuries on those involved. The human body often cannot withstand the gravitational forces exerted upon it in a motor vehicle collision. However, certain types of car accidents are more dangerous than others. The deadliest vehicle collisions in Birmingham can often be prevented with proper care taken by drivers.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is an extremely reckless driver behavior that is behind thousands of fatal car accidents in the U.S. each year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that about 37 people die in impaired driving accidents each day – about one person every 39 minutes. Our Birmingham fatal accident attorneys have handled numerous cases of devastating DUI accidents.
Our experienced drunk driving accident lawyers in Birmingham have seen many dangerous drunk driving accidents because the intoxicated driver may not hit the brakes at all prior to impact. The driver may have reduced reaction times or could fall asleep behind the wheel. Drunk drivers are also more likely to engage in reckless behaviors that increase the risk of severe accidents, such as speeding, racing, red-light running or wrong-way driving.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
A hit-and-run accident means the driver involved in the crash flees the scene rather than stopping and rendering aid to injured victims. The absence of aid, such as the at-fault driver calling 911 and requesting an ambulance, could prove fatal for a victim in a hit-and-run crash. In many car accident cases, every minute after the crash is crucial for a victim’s survival.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are particularly violent and often catastrophic car accidents in Alabama. Head-on collisions take place at the combined speeds of both vehicles. If one car was traveling at 50 miles per hour (mph), for example, and the other was traveling at 80 mph, the crash would occur at a total speed of 130 mph. This will enhance the severity of the accident and, in most cases, the injuries suffered by victims.
T-Bone Accidents
A T-bone accident, also known as a side-impact crash, occurs when the front of one vehicle and the side of another collide. These accidents can cause severe injuries, as victims are often sitting in close proximity to the point of impact. Both drivers can be injured or killed if the impact affects the driver’s side of a car, while a driver and a passenger could suffer serious injuries if the T-bone collision involves the passenger side.
Pileup Accidents
A pileup accident refers to a multi-vehicle crash involving three or more cars. While an accident involving two vehicles can be extremely destructive, an increase in the number of cars involved can subsequently increase the extent of the damage caused. More vehicles means a higher likelihood of someone suffering a severe or fatal injury.
Rollovers
A rollover accident can be particularly dangerous to a driver and his or her passengers due to the mechanics of the crash. A vehicle’s roof may not be designed to withstand the weight or pressure of a rollover. This could lead to a roof collapse that crushes and significantly injures the occupants of the vehicle. Victims involved in a rollover accident are at risk of traumatic limb amputations if an arm, hand, leg or foot gets trapped beneath the car.
If you suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in any type of car accident, contact the Birmingham car accident lawyers at Drake Injury Lawyers to request a free consultation about your legal rights and options. Our specialized personal injury attorneys in Birmingham have the skill and experience to represent your injury claim.