Car accidents occur every day across the United States. Some are avoidable while others are not. While the most common types of injuries in car accidents tend to be neck pain or concussions, there are many ailments that people can suffer from after being involved in a crash. If you were injured in a collision, work with a Rockland County car accident lawyer for legal advice and representation.
How Often Do Car Accidents Occur in New York?
When considering accidents in New York, people may think of the heavy traffic and aggressive driving often displayed in New York City. Although NYC does see a lot of motor vehicle accidents, collisions are a common occurrence statewide. According to studies conducted by the New York Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR), there were more than 391,000 crashes across New York in 2022. On average, that is 1,071 crashes per day.
What Factors Contribute to Accidents?
Car accidents can occur due to a number of reasons. Some contributing factors can include the following.
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive driving
- Following too closely behind
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Speeding
Breaking the rules of the road in any way heavily contributes to the rising number of car accidents across the country. Distracted driving is the number one contributor to auto accidents as people attempt to text, call, eat, drink, or talk to others while behind the wheel. Any action that takes the driver’s attention away from the road can cause a crash.
What Are the Most Common Types of Injuries Sustained During Car Accidents?
Injuries sustained in a car accident can be divided into two categories, impact injuries, and penetrating injuries. An impact injury occurs when a passenger strikes or is struck by any part of the interior of the car, or if they are thrown from the car and strikes the ground or outside objects. The force of the impact can cause harm. Penetrating injuries happen when a loose object or outside object strikes a passenger and causes a penetrating wound like a cut.
Though every collision is different, there are some injuries that occur more commonly than others. Below are some of the more frequently occurring injuries after a car accident.
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Bruising
- Lacerations
- Broken bones
- TBIs
- Spinal cord injury
- Eye damage
- Sprains
- Organ damage
- PTSD
Injuries sustained in a car accident can be physical or mental. Being involved in a collision can be traumatic and overwhelming, causing PTSD and the development of other mental disorders like depression or anxiety.
Depending on the type or severity of the accident, some injuries will occur more commonly than others. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries. Every accident involves some sort of unexpected force on the vehicle, so passengers often continue moving forward due to inertia but then are forcefully pulled back, causing neck strain and pain.
If you were injured in an auto accident, speak with a lawyer for more information on the next steps available to you.
