Las Vegas Office: (725) 900-9000 Washington Office: (360) 200-0000
Van Law Firm
  • About Us
    • Attorneys
    • Sandy Van
    • Angela J. Campos
    • Burke Huber
    • Annual Scholarship
  • Practice Areas
    • Motor Vehicle Accident
    • Wrongful Death
    • Workers’ Compensation
    • Uninsured And Underinsured Accidents
    • Personal Injury
    • Product Liability
    • Bad Faith Insurance Claims
    • Camp Lejeune Lawsuit
    • Nursing Home Abuse
    • Las Vegas Defective Drugs and Medical Devices
    • Sexual Abuse
    • Mass Torts
    • Zantac
    • Truck Accident
    • Swimming Pool Injury
  • Testimonials
  • Blogs
    • FAQs
    • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
    • Las Vegas Office
    • Washington Office
    • View All Locatoins
Get My Free Consultation
(725) 900-9000

Home » Blogs » Auto Accidents » What Are the Three Impacts of a Car Crash?

What Are the Three Impacts of a Car Crash?

More people died in car accidents in 2021 than any year since 2005, according to a study published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on May 17, 2022. 

There were an estimated 42,915 fatalities from car accidents in the United States in 2021. Therefore, it is very important to remain educated about car accidents, how they are caused, what happens during them, how they can be prevented, and what to do if you are involved in one. The total economic loss to society from car accidents in 2021 was $400 billion. Being educated about car accidents can help you to ensure that you don’t become a victim.

Many people think a car crash only involves one crash. However, engineers and emergency medical personnel will tell you that every crash contains three separate impacts: the vehicle impact, the impact of the vehicle occupant’s body and the occupant’s organs inside the body. These will be examined more closely below.

Impact #1 – Vehicle Impact

This is the impact that most people think of when they think of a car accident. This impact occurs when the vehicle crashes into something such as another car, a guard rail, or a pole. The severity of this impact will be dependent on how fast the vehicle was going at impact, the size of the vehicle, what the vehicle hit, the angle of the collision, and how quickly the vehicle stopped. These variables all affect the force of the collision which will determine the extent of the seriousness of the crash. 

Speed is the factor that has the largest influence on how bad the crash will be. Speed has an exponential relationship to force which means that the amount of force increases more rapidly than does the increase in speed, so even a small increase in speed can result in a large increase in force and make the crash more dangerous or deadly. Older vehicles were built like tanks and designed to resist the forces of a collision. Newer vehicles are designed to absorb the force exerted in the crash; therefore, you see cars “crumpled” even in low-speed collisions. This results in the passenger compartment of the car remaining intact which means fewer injuries to the occupants.

For a free legal consultation, call (725) 900-9000

Impact #2 – Body Impact

This is the impact that happens when the occupants of the car hit something inside the passenger compartment. This can occur when unsecured items in the car fly around in the collision. These can be items such as glass bottles, electronic devices and children’s toys. If these items hit a person’s head or neck, a fatal injury could occur.

This impact can also occur when the body is thrust forward toward the point of impact. This is due to inertia as the body is continuing to move forward even though the vehicle has stopped. If the driver and passengers are buckled up, their bodies will be thrust forward until the seat belt restrains them.  If they are not wearing seatbelts, their bodies will impact the inside of a vehicle or be ejected through a window.  This type of impact commonly leads to serious head trauma and fatalities in car crashes. 

Impact #3 – Organ Impact

This type of damage occurs inside the body when the body stops and the organs, which are free-floating in the body or attached to other structures via ligaments and other types of connective tissue, continue to go forward.  This can result in the tissues and muscles being stretched which will result in soreness and could result in tearing. It could also result in solid organs such as the liver or spleen being fractured which can cause internal bleeding. If a critical blood vessel like those that enter and leave your heart become damaged, so much blood could be lost internally that the injury could become fatal.

One of the worst organ impacts is when an organ hits a bone inside the body. This is what happens during a concussion. The brain continues to fly forward when the body stops. This results in the brain hitting the inside of the skull.  When the neck whips backward the brain can likewise impact the inside rear of the skull. The brain gets bruised or begins to bleed and the person often loses consciousness.  If the impact is severe enough, it can cause devastating long-term injuries to the brain.

Click to contact our personal injury lawyers today

What Can You Do?

In order to protect yourself from all three of the crashes that occur in a car accident there are several steps you can take:

  • Always wear your seatbelt and assure that all passengers are doing so
  • Always secure children in approved car seats
  • Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Maintain your speed within the posted speed limits
  • Do not text, eat or do anything that could distract you while driving
  • Secure any unsecured items inside your passenger compartment with straps or clips

It is becoming more and more likely that a car accident could happen to you. With the number of accidents continually rising, it is important to take steps to protect yourself, your loved ones, and the people around you. If you become a party in a car accident, it is important to seek medical attention as needed. 

Your medical bills may qualify for insurance reimbursement, and you may be entitled to additional compensation for pain and suffering if the other party was at fault. Contact your closest Van Law Firm office today for a free consultation.

No obligation consultations are always free.

Let Us Help You! Call Now: (725) 900-9000
We are available 24/7

Recent Posts

  • Philips CPAP Recall: 260 Deaths & 90,000 Injuries Reported
  • Camp Lejeune – All You Need to Know
  • Lawyers in Zantac Litigation Split on Forum Selection – What is Driving the Strategic Decision to Pursue Claims in State Courts?
  • What Is a Probate Attorney
  • How Quickly Does Whiplash Set In?

Categories

  • Auto Accidents
  • Baby Formula Lawsuits
  • Bankruptcy
  • Burn Injuries
  • Bus Acciidents
  • Camp Lejeune
  • Defective Medical Devices
  • Drunk Driving Accidents
  • Elmiron
  • Insurance
  • Legal Alerts
  • Mass Torts
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • News and Updates
  • Nursing Home Abuse
  • Paraquat Lawsuits
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Personal Injury
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Sexual Assault
  • Slip and Fall Accidents
  • Swimming Pool Accidents
  • Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • Truck Accidents
  • Truvada
  • Whiplash Injury
  • Workers Compensation
  • Wrongful Death
  • Zantac

FAQs

What is a Short Sale?

faq thumb

Buying a home After a Short Sale

faq thumb

What is a Deficiency and Why Should I Be Worried?

faq thumb

Find Yourself a Passionate Lawyer Now!

  • Bellingham Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Boulder City Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Centennial Hills Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Henderson Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Lakewood Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Nationwide Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Washington Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Yakima Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
  • Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me

Auto Accidents Blog Posts:

client calling car insurance companies DEALING WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES IN A PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENT

Dealing with insurance companies can be the most frustrating part of handling a personal injury claim. Whether your claim comes from a car accident, medical malpractice, workman’s comp, or dog bite ...

calling while driving FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS TEXT AND DRIVE

Texting and hand-held cell phone use is illegal in Nevada.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2014, distracted drivers caused thousands of accidents across th...

a car crash accident “MINOR” CAR ACCIDENTS ARE SERIOUS

“Minor” car accidents, perhaps caused by inattention or carelessness, can still cause a great deal of pain and suffering. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, over 2 million peo...

driving a car LAS VEGAS RANKS LOW FOR DRIVER SAFETY

Recently, Las Vegas ranked 144 out of 200 cities in the United States for driver safety. The recent report reveals that drivers in Las Vegas have a car accident every eight years and are an astoundi...

  • Las Vegas, NV
    1290 S Jones Blvd
    Las Vegas, NV 89147

    Get Directions
  • Lakewood, WA
    9311 Bridgeport Way SW
    Lakewood WA 98499

    Get Directions
  • Yakima, WA
    32 N 3rd St STE 304
    Yakima, WA 98901

    Get Directions
Van Law Firm

Van law firm is a personal injury law firm that represents individuals injured by motor vehicle accidents in Las Vegas, Henderson, and throughout Washington. We also represent workers’ compensation cases and people who have been hurt by defective drugs like Zantac, medical devices, and products nationwide.

Contact Info

1290 S Jones Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(725) 900-9000 (702) 800-4662 Get Map & Directions
9311 Bridgeport Way SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
(360) 200-0000 (360) 208-0248 Get Map & Directions
32 N 3rd St STE 304
Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 505-1000 (509) 272-0300 Get Map & Directions

Practice Areas

  • MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT
  • PERSONAL INJURY
  • WRONGFUL DEATH
  • PRODUCT LIABILITY
  • WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
  • BAD FAITH INSURANCE CLAIMS
  • UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED ACCIDENTS
  • NURSING HOME ABUSE
Expertise best personal injury attorney award America's Fastest growing private companies award Honoree Ribbon

Privacy Policy © Copyright 2023 Van Law Firm

Please consult an attorney for advice about your unique and individual situation. This website and its information is not legal advice, nor is it intended to be. Calling our firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Until an attorney-client relationship is established, please withhold from sending any confidential information.