Head-on collisions are one of the most severe types of road accidents because they have one of the highest rates of serious injury and fatalities for those involved. More people are killed or seriously injured in a head on collision than in any other type of road accident, even though head on collisions (i.e. a collision between two vehicles travelling in opposite directions) are uncommon. Generally, a head on collisions is caused when one vehicle moves into the path of oncoming traffic and most often occurs on roads with no central reservation that separates the flow of traffic. For this reason it is rare to have a head on collision on a motorway or dual carriageway due to the crash barriers in the central reservation.
Head on collisions can also occur when a motorist drives the wrong way down a stretch of road (often unintentionally), for example a one way system, or a road or area the driver is unfamiliar with, or if there are insufficient road signs to tell the driver about the direction of traffic, or even if there are road works and a diversion is not properly sign posted, or if the road layout has changed recently. In most cases though, a head-on collision is caused by a car momentarily drifting into the wrong lane into oncoming traffic.
In a head-on accident, the forces involved will be much greater than in a accident where one car is stationary. When two cars approaching each other at similar speeds collide, they are in effect colliding at twice the speed at which they are travelling – so for two cars travelling at 50 mph, the closing speed before the accident is actually closer to 100 mph. This means a head-on accident even involving cars moving at a relatively modest speed can cause serious injuries to the passengers and the cars they are in.
Although modern cars and lorries are designed with several safety features (including things like crumple zones, airbags, restraining seatbelts and head rests) that are intended to minimize injuries to the driver and passenger in the event of a head-on collision, injuries are often still sustained. In a low-velocity head-on collision these types of injuries may include soft tissue damage and injuries to the neck, back and shoulders such as whiplash, while in a head-on collisions at a much higher speed, injuries are likely to be caused to the internal organs and there is a greater chance of other injuries such as broken bones.
If you have been involved in a head-on collision on the roads, then call our Specialist Advice Centre on 0844 854 5090.