60% of U.S. Side Impact Collisions lead to Traumatic Brain Injuries | DENENA | POINTS

60% of U.S. Side Impact Collisions lead to Traumatic Brain Injuries

Side impact, or T-bone, collisions cause more injuries and fatalities than other types of vehicle wrecks because the side “crush zones” are smaller than the front and rear crush zones. Crush zones are the areas between the outside of your vehicle and the inside of the passenger compartment. Vehicle designers generally try to extend the crush zones where they can because it lengthens your ride-down time in a crash, which reduces your chances of severe injury or death.

Because of the smaller side crush zones, T-bone crashes are 3 times more likely to cause traumatic brain injuries than other types of wrecks. The Pearland car accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC emphasize that approximately 60% of victims injured in side impact crashes receive traumatic brain injuries. And the severity of high-speed side impact crashes also frequently results in broken bones, spinal injuries, and paralysis. Around 10,000 people die in side impact crashes each year in the United States. This number represents about one third of all fatal U.S. road accidents annually.

Safety advocates praise side airbags for their effectiveness in preventing injuries and deaths in side impact collisions and in rollover wrecks. During a rollover, side airbags can help keep the occupants inside their vehicle, which reduces their risk of vehicle ejection and death. Our Pearland car accident attorneys note that about 75% of vehicle ejections during a crash end in fatal injury.

But standard airbag design doesn’t fully protect everyone. Standard airbag designs don’t always protect: children, senior citizens in “out of position” postures due to pain or medical conditions, and adults less than 5 feet tall or weighing 100 pounds or less. And sometimes vehicle defects, like one that just led to a major GM recall, mean that airbags won’t deploy at all, increasing your risks in a wreck.

Side impact crashes are frequent at intersections and might be caused by a driver who’s run a red light or a stop sign, or by a drunken or distracted driver. The negligent driver often is speeding as well, which adds to the severity of the T-bone collision.

If a negligent driver has hurt you or someone that you know in a side impact collision, you may be able to claim financial compensation for your injuries and the needless harm you’ve suffered. Contact the Board Certified Pearland car accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC to learn how.

Our experienced Pearland car accident attorneys offer a free, no obligation initial legal consultation to evaluate your case and answer the pressing questions you may have. Call us today at 713-807-9500 or just fill out our simple online contact form to schedule your free consultation and begin the process of financial recovery after a serious accident.