Perhaps one of the most terrifying events to experience on the road is a head-on collision. It can be a heartsick feeling for a driver to see another vehicle in his or her lane and have no time or options for avoiding a crash. They may realize that their lives will never be the same after that moment. A head-on collision can result in devastating, lifelong and even life-threatening injuries.
One recent event in California exemplifies the tragedy of such accidents. A 24-year-old driver took the wrong exit ramp and ended up heading south in the northbound lanes of a multiple-lane highway. His SUV crashed head-on into another vehicle with three occupants.
Pain, suffering and loss of life
The impact of the crash flipped the second vehicle onto the median near the southbound lanes, where it landed on its roof. One passenger was ejected, and he died later at the hospital. The driver and another passenger suffered catastrophic injuries. The driver of the wrong-way vehicle was not seriously injured and tried to run away after the crash. Police arrested him under suspicion of felony DUI.
Because of the tremendous impact of a head-on collision, especially at highway speeds, the resulting injuries may be quite severe, including spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, brain injuries and others. The sudden impact stops the forward motion of the vehicle so violently that the passengers may suffer multiple traumatic injuries. This often leads to a lifetime of pain and suffering, as well as the grief of losing a loved one in a terrifying accident.