With the winter months bringing snowy conditions across Ohio, the roads turn icy with snow piling up and wind at times possibly causing whiteout conditions. These all set up the roads for more accidents than other weather conditions.
Beyond broken bones, car accident victims can experience serious injuries to the neck, head, chest and back.
Traumatic injuries are common
According to TraumaticBrainInjury.com, car collisions account for “over half of all reported traumatic brain injuries.” Vehicles may have all kinds of objects on and in them that can penetrate the skull, such as personal belongings like bags or gear. The head can also strike a steering wheel, door, seat or window during an accident.
While emergency technicians are likely to spot exterior blunt trauma due to an open wound on the skull, mild or moderate TBIs may take longer to notice. Even the force of a hit can cause the brain to continue to move inside a stationary skull causing a concussion. The result of a TBI can negatively impact the person’s way of life causing disabilities and even sustained injuries.
More than just a head injury
The American Bankruptcy Institute lists head injuries as one of the most common injuries from car accidents. The force of a collision can cause whiplash which stretches the tendons and tissues in the neck. Broken rib bones from the crash impact can penetrate into the softer organs beneath causing serious injury.
The back is often a target for injuries in a car accident. The muscles and ligaments surrounding the spine especially at the mid and lower back can cause pain, damage and muscles sprain.
These are only a few of the injuries people sustain in car accidents. It is important for drivers to take extra care when taking their vehicles out on Ohio roads in the winter.