Were you injured in a head-on crash in Idaho Falls, ID? The manner of collision makes a big difference in the outcome of a car accident. When people suffer injuries or lose loved ones due to head-on crashes in Idaho, state law gives them the right to pursue financial compensation for their losses.
A skilled Idaho Falls car accident lawyer from Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers can guide you through the process of filing an injury claim. Our legal team has 100 years of combined legal experience and recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation.
Call our law office to schedule a free consultation at (208) 418-0633.
How Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After A Head-On Crash In Idaho Falls, ID
Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers was established over 40 years ago to represent accident victims in Idaho Falls, Idaho against negligent actors and their insurers. Our Idaho Falls personal injury attorneys have been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
We offer the following forms of legal support to clients injured in preventable incidents resulting from the negligence or wrongful actions of others:
- Listening to their stories and gathering evidence to support their cases
- Learning their goals and developing legal strategies to pursue compensation
- Filing insurance claims and negotiating settlements
- Litigating cases when settlement discussions fall through
Head-on collisions often result in catastrophic injuries that create long-term or permanent disabilities. Contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with an Idaho Falls car accident attorney.
Head-On Crash Statistics
A head-on crash occurs when the front of one vehicle strikes the front of another while the vehicles are traveling in opposite directions. As a result, these crashes are sometimes called front-to-front collisions. This name distinguishes these crashes from other collision types, such as angle, sideswipe, front-to-side, and front-to-rear collisions.
According to 2022 statistics compiled by the National Safety Council (NSC), rear-end collisions happen more often than any other type of crash. However, both angle and head-on collisions cause more deaths. Based on available statistics, these crashes are responsible for approximately 29.6% of deaths. Idaho’s car accident statistics support this conclusion.
The Idaho Traffic Crashes report for 2023 identified head-on crashes as the leading fatal collision type. Roughly 22% of fatal crashes in the state involved a head-on crash.
Causes Of Head-On Collisions
A head-on crash means one of the drivers was going the wrong way. Wrong-way driving can happen for many reasons, including:
- Impaired driving
- Distracted or inattentive driving
- Inexperience
For example, a driver might fail to see a one-way sign because they were looking at their phone. Similarly, a new driver may become momentarily overwhelmed and try to enter a freeway exit.
However, one of the most common causes of wrong-way driving is intoxication. Alcohol and drugs can impair a driver’s ability to process information, leading them to misread or misinterpret signs and signals. As a result, they may drive the wrong way on a freeway or one-way road and cause a DUI-related head-on crash.
Injuries From Head-On Accidents
The kinetic energy from a head-on collision gets transferred to the vehicle occupants’ bodies, tearing soft tissues and breaking bones. Some common injuries from head-on crashes include:
- Head trauma and brain injuries
- Fractured vertebrae
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
- Crushing injuries
Seat belts can prevent vehicle occupants from being ejected during a head-on crash. However, any occupant not wearing a seat belt could fly through the windshield during the collision and suffer injuries from impacting the glass and ground.
Liability For Head-On Crashes
The liability for a head-on collision almost always falls on the driver who goes the wrong way. Drivers have a responsibility to ensure that they travel in the right direction on the lanes and roads they use.
Occasionally, the wrong-way driver may share liability with others. For example, a government entity might fail to fix a “Do Not Enter” sign on a freeway exit within a reasonable time frame after discovering it had blown over. Under the Idaho Tort Claims Act, state or local governments may be liable for neglecting to maintain road signs.
Contact Our Idaho Falls Car Accident Lawyers For A Free Consultation
The injuries sustained in a head-on collision can disable or kill a vehicle occupant. If you’ve been involved in such a wreck, contact Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss your right to seek fair and adequate compensation for your losses with an Idaho Falls car accident lawyer.
