You may have heard other people being fearful or having significant anxiety about driving on highways. And after your highway accident, you may now better understand why. Unfortunately, records have proven that highway accidents are far more dangerous than crashes on local roads, as they are more likely to result in catastrophic injuries, permanent disabilities, or even fatalities. As a victim or family member of a victim, it may be helpful to know why highway accidents are more severe, to gain clarity on issues of liability, insurance coverage, and legal options to be compensated in the aftermath. Without further ado, please continue reading to learn why highway accidents tend to cause more serious injuries and how one of the experienced Monmouth County car accident attorneys at Wilton Law Firm can help protect your safety and promote your recovery immediately after yours.
As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates in its speeding and crash data, higher speed limits on the highways lead to more severe car accidents, and thereby more serious bodily injuries for victims.
For one, driving faster means a driver has less reaction time to avoid hazards and subsequent impact. And as simple physics would explain, the higher the speed, the more energy your body absorbs upon impact, which may result in a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, internal organ damage, or something else serious.
While high speeds may be considered one of the leading causes of catastrophic highway accidents, other external factors may have contributed to your ultimate crash. Namely, there may have been high traffic volumes and congestion, the involvement of a commercial vehicle, unsafe road conditions, poor inclement weather, etc.
In the same way that a highway accident itself is more serious than a local road crash, it may be more dangerous to handle the immediate aftermath of it. That is, there is a higher risk of a secondary collision, as again, other vehicles may be driving at high speeds and cannot maneuver around your stalled vehicle in time.
With this, if your vehicle is operable and it is safe to do so, it is critical that you carefully move it out of active traffic lanes and pull over to the shoulder or another protected area. Once you are here, you should avoid stepping outside of your vehicle to assess the damage and speak with other involved drivers unless you are in immediate danger, such as a sparking fire.
Instead, you should call 911 to request emergency medical assistance and law enforcement. You should allow them to transport you to an emergency room for further medical evaluation, even if you do not feel injured. This is because your adrenaline may initially mask your pain, and proper health documentation may later support your insurance and legal claims.
With all that being said, please do not hesitate to work together with one of the skilled Monmouth County auto accident attorneys. The team at Wilton Law Firm will have your best interests at heart always and will fight for justice to reign in your favor.
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