T-Bone Accidents can be more dangerous because they expose a victim to the risk of traumatic brain injury.
When the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of the second vehicle, a side-impact collision occurs. Such impacts are also known as T-bone Accidents as both the colliding vehicles form a T shape. T-bone crashes or side impact accidents are common and can happen anywhere. They usually take place in intersections or when a parked vehicle leaves a parking lot and the driver is unable to see the passing vehicle.
T-Bone Accident Collision Statistics
In general, side-impact or T-Bone crashes cause more severe injuries to the passengers of the vehicle, because the side of a vehicle has poor ability to absorb the force of the colliding vehicle. Even if a vehicle has side airbags for protection, side airbags do not prove to be as effective in providing safety as front airbags. According to research conducted by the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, 19% of car crashes are side-impact collisions. However, these side-impact collisions contributed to 32% of fatalities recorded in the research.
Side-Impact Collisions and Traumatic Brain Injury
Side-impact crashes prove to be more dangerous because they expose a victim to the risk of traumatic brain injury. Over 50% of fatalities recorded in side-impact crashes have been caused due to traumatic brain injury. The Annals of Emergency Medicine conducted a study that analysed the relationship between side-impact crashes and traumatic brain injury. The study was conducted based on the NHTSA collision data of about 6,780 victims in 5,483 vehicles. Their research was concentrated on 1,115 injured individuals and the correlation between the type of accident and the injuries sustained.
Side-impact crashes are three times more likely to expose the vehicle occupants to TBI. Women were more at risk of TBI than men. Because side-impact crashes lead to traumatic brain injury so often, researchers recommend that medical practitioners in emergency wards check a side-impact accident patient for TBI even before the patient shows any symptoms.
How a St. Louis Car Wreck Lawyer Can Help
Patients suffering from traumatic brain injuries undergo life altering changes, physical as well as cognitive. The effects of traumatic brain injury include:
- mood and personality changes
- lessening of cognitive and reasoning abilities
- paraplegia
Common Injuries That May Result From a T-Bone Car Accident
Side impact collisions can occur to the driver or any of the passenger’s doors. Due to the fact that the force of the collision is so close to the passenger seated on the side of the car, seatbelts do not generally help much to lower the risk of injury. Although it does minimize injuries by keeping the body stationary at the time of impact, it does not help prevent major injuries associated with T-bone crashes. Some of the common injuries resulting from T-bone crashes include:
Leg injuries: If the impact of the collision occurs near the bottom of the car, the door may get crushed and cave in towards the lower body. This may cause broken or crushed bones and lacerations.
Rib injuries: If the impact occurs at the center of the car door, it can cause door to crumble in towards the body and cause broken or crushed ribs.
Hip injuries: If the impact of the collision occurs near the mid bottom, the force may get concentrated on the pelvic area and cause hip injuries such as displaced or broken hip.
Head injuries: These injuries may occur if the head hits the door or door glass, or when the airbag deploys.
Shoulder injuries: At the time of the crash, the passenger sitting in the opposite may get forced against the door causing shoulder injuries such as muscle tears, or dislocated or broken shoulder.
Arm injuries: Depending on where the arm is placed at the time of crash, the impact may break, lacerate, or even sever the arm.
Back injuries: Back injuries such as a pinched nerve, sprained back, or broken back are common in car accidents.
Neck injuries: Sudden movement of neck from one side to another can cause injuries such as neck strain or sprain, whiplash, or broken neck.
