A video shows a car speeding the wrong direction on I-95 in Port Richmond moments before it hit four vehicle, one head-on killing the wrong way car’s driver. A journalist for a local news station just happened to be driving when the driver went by him, and he caught that on his dashcam, but the video does not the actual collisions.
According to police, the 26-year-old man side-swiped two vehicles after it passed the news car, and then hit a third car head-on before hitting a fourth car. In all, five cars were involved, and all four other drivers were hospitalized.
Wrong-Way Driver Accident
A wrong-way crash is when the driver of a car is traveling the wrong direction on a divided, multi-lane highway or freeway. Before this can happen, the driver must have either entered the freeway through an exit or crossed a median and started traveling the wrong direction.
The results of these are usually a head-on collision, which is the deadliest crash of all accident types, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. In a report, NHTSA researchers say that head-on collisions make up 2% of total accidents per year, but they account for over 10% of all traffic fatalities.
Wrong-Way Driving Injuries
When two cars collide head-on, the impact is often doubled as both cars’ speed and weight compound the damage and severity of the crash, and unfortunately this increases the risk severe injuries and death to the occupants of the cars. Some of the common injuries in a head-on collision are:
- Blunt Force Trauma: The vast majority of fatalities come from the impact of the person into whatever is in front of them.
- Traumatic Brain Injury: Not always fatal and happens with the impact of the body at the time of collision.
- Thoracic Spine Injury: (Whiplash) This injury is not necessarily fatal, but it often results in paralysis. It comes from the body being thrown forward where the spine in the neck is stretched and then violently compressed when thrown back into the seat.
- Broken Bones: Skull fractures, facial bones, ribs and extremities such as wrists, ankles legs.
What Should I do if I’m Injured in a Head-on Collision?
If you are injured in a head-on collision, the first thing to do is to concentrate on your immediate medical treatment and do what’s necessary to begin the healing process. However, soon the financial losses will begin to loom as you miss work and more medical bills and car repair bills come due.
At this point, the best thing to do is talk to an attorney who knows the law and is experienced in dealing with insurance companies. Talk to someone who has your best interest at heart. Talk to the attorneys at Pearce Law Firm, P.C. at (215) 557-6868 or text at 215 880 6164. You can also contact us online by clicking here.