If you are like many of your New Jersey neighbors, you have felt the anxiety that comes from watching a vehicle rapidly approaching your braked car. Fortunately, other motorists often stop their vehicles before crashing into the back of yours. That may not always be the case, though.
According to estimates, there are more than 1.5 million rear-end collisions on America’s roadways every year. In those, about 500,000 drivers or passengers sustain some type of injury. Here are some common injuries individuals often suffer in rear-end collisions:
1. Whiplash
Arguably the most common type of rear-end injury is whiplash. This soft-tissue injury occurs when your head and neck move forward and backward quickly. If you experience this condition, you may have numbness, muscle pain, headaches and other symptoms.
2. Concussions
You do not have to bump your head on a hard surface to sustain a concussion. On the contrary, if your head moves forward rapidly, your brain may jostle into your skull. When your seatbelt stops your forward momentum during a rear-end collision, you may develop a severe concussion. Other types of traumatic brain injuries also occur during rear-end crashes.
3. Broken bones
Your vehicle’s seatbelt keeps you firmly in place during automobile accidents. Still, there are often collateral injuries that occur in rear-end collisions. For example, your seatbelt may break your collarbone or pelvis. In a bad rear-end crash, you may even break bones in your spine.
4. Lacerations
During a rear-end collision, there is a chance you may hit parts of your skin against parts of your vehicle. If you do, you may develop deep cuts and other lacerations that may require surgery.
As you can see, rear-end collisions are not necessarily just a minor inconvenience. Instead, these accidents often cause motorists to sustain serious injuries. By understanding the types of injuries that tend to occur during rear-end collisions, you can better plan for responding to an automobile accident.