Fatal Pile-Up Crash in Rural Bexar County
Two people are dead following a head-on crash in eastern Bexar County that involved five vehicles, including a school bus.
Investigators state that a Toyota was initially seen weaving on Loop 1604 just north of Highway 87, not far from Adkins. The vehicle then clipped an East Central I.S.D. bus before slamming head-on into a Honda. Both drivers were killed almost instantly; a passenger in the Toyota survived for several days before succumbing to his injuries. All the victims were described as teenagers.
Two other passenger vehicles were involved in the pile-up crash as well, but none of the occupants were seriously injured.
Head-On Crashes
Statistically, these incidents are extremely rare (about 3 percent of vehicle crashes) but they have a fatality rate 12 times greater than other freeway wrecks. That is primarily due to the massive force involved. If two vehicles collide that are each traveling 60 mph, the occupants are subjected to a sudden force of 120 mph.
These crashes are almost exclusively on rural undivided or semi-divided highways, like the ones that crisscross vast areas on South Central Texas. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency, alcohol impairment and medical impairment, a category that includes impairment due to age, are the most common contributing factors to these crashes.
The high fatality rate indicates the serious nature of the injuries often involved. These items include such things as:
- Head Injuries: Even if the occupants are wearing safety belts and protected by airbags, these countermeasures are often not enough to prevent heads from slamming into the glass or dash, because of the amount of force involved.
- Facial Scars: The cuts and other lacerations are often so deep that they never entirely heal, leaving the victims permanently disfigured.
- Internal Injuries: Because many doctors and first-responders focus on external trauma injuries, internal bleeding may be not be promptly diagnosed and treated.
- Wrongful Death: In many cases, the injuries are simply too severe to overcome.
Damages in a car crash case typically include compensation for both economic losses, such as medical bills, and non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering.
High-speed crashes nearly always result in serious injury. For a free consultation with an experienced New Braunfels personal injury attorney who fights for victims’ rights, contact our office.
Sources:
http://www.foxsanantonio.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/second-death-reported-last-weeks-5car-crash-east-bexar-county-17292.shtml#.VkI93yuvzd4
http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SIR1201.pdf
