If you regularly drive in or around Oklahoma City, you know how crowded area roadways have become. Not every driver you pass, of course, is paying sufficient attention. As such, even if you have managed to avoid a car accident so far, someone’s distracted driving may eventually put you in the middle of one.
Car accidents range in severity from minor to serious. In any type of crash, you are vulnerable to extensive injuries that may change your life forever. You may not realize, however, that most car accidents involve three separate collisions.
1. Vehicle collision
The first collision that occurs in a car accident is the one involving the other vehicle. The seriousness of the initial collision depends on a few different factors, including speed and vehicle orientation. While there are a variety of ways an accident may unfold, certain ones are more common than others:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Side-impact collisions
2. Body collision
When you are driving, your body has forward momentum. If your vehicle stops suddenly during a collision with another car, you continue to move until something stops you. Typically, this is your seat belt, but it may also be your steering wheel, dashboard, windshield or something outside your vehicle. Of course, if your body collides with any stationary object, you may sustain additional injuries.
3. Loose-object collision
Finally, during many car accidents, loose objects inside the vehicle become missile-like projectiles. If you have a loose cell phone, gym bag, bowling ball or anything else in your car, the object may collide with you during a car accident. As such, it is important to secure everything before leaving the driveway.
During a single automobile accident, you are likely to experience three separate collisions. Unfortunately, you have some chance of suffering a serious injury in even a seemingly minor car accident. By understanding your risk, you can better plan for staying safe every time you get behind the wheel.
