Founder and Managing Partner
Recent statistics indicate that throughout the United States, there are about 1-7 million rear-end collisions each year, resulting in an unfortunate total of approximately 1,700 deaths and 500,000 injuries.
Regarding the state of California, the state where a large part of these figures are registered, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) projects that in 2017 alone, 384 people died in subsequent collisions, while another 95,399 were injured.
Some of the more common injuries from rear-end collisions include:
Whiplash:
Whiplash can be described as a sudden jolt to the neck caused by an impact or collision. This movement strains the muscles in the neck and shoulder area, which can lead to nerve and spinal cord injury. In the event of suffering an injury of this type, it is vital to pay attention to possible pain or sensations of stiffness, as well as possible headaches, feelings of dizziness or ringing in the ears.
Fractures and ligament injuries:
Any impact ranging from moderate to severe can cause considerable damage to certain ligaments that could be stretched or torn, resulting in pain, limited movement, and loss of stability. In more serious situations, these damages can even cause broken ribs, knees, legs or ankles, or other bones. Given the severity of these injuries, their treatment may also be more expensive, not only because of the treatment they will require, but also because they mean lost days of work to make a full recovery.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):
Concussions are common in subsequent collisions, and while the impact of these can heal on its own with rest, some, commonly thought of as traumatic brain injuries, can be severe enough that symptoms persist long-term. Traumatic brain injuries range from mild concussions to life-threatening bruises, and their symptoms include headaches, fatigue, sensitivity to light or noise, confusion, and dizziness.
The most common causes of rear-end collisions include: speeding, distracted driving, and failure to maintain safe distances between vehicles. Most of the time, these accidents are the fault of the driver of the rear vehicle, but in some cases, the front vehicle may also share responsibility, so it is important to remain aware of your surroundings whenever you are behind the wheel.
