Car Accidents Caused by Wrong-Way Drivers Have High Fatality Rates and Cause Extensive Harm

Experienced drivers in Indiana must remain prepared for the unexpected. They know that their ability to take the right evasive actions depends upon their vigilance. However, one thing that many people don’t expect to encounter is motorists traveling on the wrong side of the road. More importantly, there can be very little time to avoid a collision when a driver comes barreling toward you head-on. Although some people travel in the wrong direction due to missing or confusing road signage, wrong-way drivers are usually distracted, tired, or inebriated. Moreover, they’re frequently traveling at high speeds.

Car accidents caused by wrong-way drivers are almost always head-on. Worse still, these collisions are often fatal. Even when they aren’t, they can result in debilitating and disfiguring injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and extreme emotional distress. If you or someone you love has recently been in a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver, Boulton Law Group can help.

Wrong-Way Car Accidents in Indiana Have a High Fatality Rate

According to research performed by the Automobile Association of America (AAA), there was a national increase of 34 percent in fatal wrong-way accidents between 2015 and 2018 when compared to road accident data for 2010 through 2014. As per the AAA, the top three risk factors for wrong-way accidents are:

• Driving after 70 years of age
• Driving without passengers (alone)
• Driving while intoxicated or otherwise impaired

The State of Indiana released its “Crash Fact Book” in 2019 citing wrong-way collisions as having a 25.6 fatality rate. 

Why Having an Attorney Is Important

At Boulton Law Group, we know just how devastating wrong-way car accidents can be. Even when these events aren’t fatal, they can leave people with lifelong injuries. Wrong-way drivers can cause:

• Crushing injuries
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Loss of limbs
• Severe back or spinal injuries
• Internal organ damage

These events are usually head-on collisions that double the force of impact. When two cars traveling in opposite directions collide at high speeds, the resulting damages can be twice what they’d be for two vehicles that collide while traveling in the same direction.

In head-on collisions, many people sustain injuries that require long-term medical care. Some lose their ability to work and their ability to function in other life areas. Even simple, everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating could require professional assistance. The costs of dealing with the personal damage caused by a head-on accident are usually long-term. Settling claims for these events requires careful consideration of how the costs of ongoing care will add up over time. Settling too soon or accepting less than a claim is worth can leave permanently injured victims in a state of extreme financial hardship.

Head-on Collisions With Wrong-Way Drivers Can Cause Lasting Emotional Distress Too

No matter what their long-term physical effects may be, head-on collisions caused by wrong-way drivers are always emotionally distressing. Even highly vigilant and highly defensive drivers are rarely expecting to encounter motorists traveling on the wrong side of the road. When wrong-way drivers travel at excessive speeds and are too inebriated or distracted to correct their course, the shock of these events leaves injury victims traumatized for quite some time. People often:

• Suffer nightmares and flashbacks following these events
• Feel unsafe operating their automobiles
• Feel unsafe traveling in vehicles that others are driving
• Deal with lasting anxiety and stress

While car accidents cause post-traumatic stress, the trauma caused by a head-on collision can result in anxiety, depression, and driving-related phobias that may require professional treatment.

Injured Drivers Are Rarely Able to Collect Their Own Evidence for Their Claims

Following relatively minor collisions, many drivers are able to collect evidence that supports their claims on their own. Absent severe physical injuries, they can speak with firsthand witnesses, speak with responding officers while accident reports are drawn up, and take photos of the scene. Many people injured in head-on crashes have virtually no memories of the minutes that follow these events. They are often taken away from the scene of these events in ambulances, and the collection of evidence is handled entirely by third parties.

When injury victims and their family members hire attorneys after head-on crashes, they ensure not to overlook any details. Attorneys examine the collected evidence. Then, they can work with expert witnesses to determine exactly how everything happened. These efforts make it easier to draw a clear line between collisions and the specific factors that have caused them. In personal injury cases, they also make it possible to show that all essential elements of negligence were present including duty, breach of duty, causation, and damage.

Attorneys Are Adept in Dealing With Insurance Companies

Sadly, even when extensive personal and property damages occur, insurance companies work hard to limit their payouts for car accidents. If you hire an attorney to handle your personal injury claim, you’ll never have to deal with insurers at all. You won’t have to speak with slick-talking adjusters or deal with the pressure of being encouraged to settle quickly. Your attorney will handle all written and verbal communications with insurers so that you can place your entire focus on getting well. Best of all, should your claim ever go to trial, Boulton Law Group will go to bat for you.

Even Minor Collisions Can Be a Big Deal When Involving Wrong-Way Drivers

Given that the magnitude of car crashes doubles when drivers travel in opposite directions, even seemingly minor accidents with wrong-way drivers have a lasting impact on the physical and emotional stability of everyone involved. Thus, if you’ve recently collided with a wrong-way driver while traveling at low speeds, it’s still important to have your health thoroughly assessed. Then, hire a reputable attorney. Low-speed accidents with wrong-way drivers can result in severe concussions, whiplash, and severe injuries from airbags and seat restraints.

At Boulton Law Group, we fight hard for our clients. When people are injured in wrong-way accidents, they should never attempt to represent themselves. The risks of lasting physical and emotional harm are simply too high. Call us today to schedule a consultation on how we can help you get the settlement you deserve.