What Are the Most Common Causes of Head-On Collisions?

While any car accident has the potential to result in fatal or serious injuries, few crashes are quite as dangerous as head-on collisions. The impact of the involved vehicles leads to enormous force being absorbed by both vehicles and their occupants. The greater the speeds involved, the more likely the occupants are to experience severe or fatal outcomes.

Understanding what causes head-on crashes may help you avoid them. If you need more personalized assistance with a car accident, call Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman at 866-565-4949.

Impaired Driving

Impaired driving is a leading cause of head-on crashes. When you read news reports of head-on crashes, you’ll almost always see that the at-fault driver was heavily impaired at the time. Drunk drivers suffer poor decision-making skills and a limited ability to respond to dangers. They are also more likely to take unnecessary risks—including driving on the wrong side of the road. When a driver operates on the wrong side of the road, those who are traveling in the correct direction are forced to take evasive action. Despite their best efforts, drivers sometimes do not have enough time to get out of a drunk driver’s way.

Not only is impaired driving more likely to result in a head-on accident, it is more likely to cause devastating outcomes. Consider this: someone who ends up driving the wrong way on the road accidentally is likely to be horrified the moment they realize it. They will immediately start taking action to try to resolve the issue, whether that means pulling off onto the shoulder, coming to a complete stop, or honking the horn to let other drivers know of their mistake. A drunk driver who intentionally drives the wrong way will not slow down or otherwise try to right their course; when they collide, it’s likely to be at full speed.

Distracted Driving

A distracted driver is more likely to make serious errors on the road. They may drift across the center of the road into oncoming traffic while looking down at their phone or grabbing something from the backseat—and by the time they look up, it’s too late to avoid a head-on crash. Whether a driver is mentally, visually, or physically distracted, they are more likely to take unnecessary risks or make potentially fatal mistakes while behind the wheel.

Unfamiliarity With Roadways

City layouts can be quite confusing, particularly in urban or suburban areas with lots of one-way streets. If a driver gets overwhelmed trying to navigate a new area, they may unintentionally turn the wrong way onto a one-way street. This is especially dangerous in times of heavy traffic, as there’s almost no opportunity to correct your error—all you can do is come to a complete stop and hope that oncoming traffic does the same. But given the prevalence of distracted and aggressive driving, this is unlikely and a crash is nearly inevitable. 

This can also happen in rural areas. Rural communities are known for their winding roads and unexpected sharp turns. A driver who isn’t expecting the road to take a sharp turn may not slow down enough in time, and they may accidentally cross into the other lane while trying to turn.

Drowsy Driving

Driving while fatigued can be just as dangerous as driving while impaired. Drowsy drivers are less likely to notice changes in road conditions, be able to stay in their lane without drifting and react quickly to obstacles. In severe cases, drowsy drivers may fall asleep behind the wheel. This may cause them to drift across the road into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on crash.

Bad Weather

While people are expected to drive carefully enough that bad weather does not affect their safety, the impact of bad weather on accident rates cannot be ignored. Bad weather, particularly weather that causes drivers to lose control of their vehicles, can result in drivers crossing over into oncoming traffic.

Contact Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman Today

The team at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman can help you fight for fair and full compensation after a Pittsburgh head-on accident. Let’s talk about your options now. Call us at 866-565-4949 or send our team a message online to set up your free consultation.