Head-on collisions on a two-way road are fairly common, though dangerous. In fact, they are one of the most dangerous types of crashes that you can be involved in. They carry extremely high risks, in large part because the combined speed of both vehicles is so high. This is much different than a rear-end accident, for instance, where they are both traveling the same direction.
At the same time, a head-on crash should almost never happen on a straight, two-lane road. It means that a driver has made a critical mistake and crossed the centerline, initiating the crash. Why would this happen?
1. They made an unsafe pass
If the accident happens in a passing zone, it could just be that the driver made a poor judgment call. Maybe they tried to pass when they thought there was enough space to get around the traffic ahead of them, but they actually didn’t have nearly enough room. Drivers can get “trapped” in the wrong lane.
2. They got distracted
In the age of the smartphone, one of the most common reasons for these accidents is just distraction. A driver who is looking down at their phone may not even realize that they have drifted across the centerline until a second before impact.
3. They were impaired
Similar to distraction, drivers will make mistakes when they are impaired by illegal drugs or alcohol. Many of these substances can cause a short-term lack of attention, which is often enough for a significant driving error, especially at high speeds.
Those who have been injured in car accidents need to know about all of their options to seek financial compensation for medical bills and other costs.