When the occupants of a vehicle become injured in a car accident, one of the most common they may experience is a traumatic brain injury. John Hopkins Medicine reports that this type of injury is one of the leading causes of disability and death in adults today.
The nature and severity of a TBI may vary depending on several factors during a car accident, no matter the circumstances of the wreck.
Speed
When vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed strike one or more other cars, the risk of the driver and passengers sustaining a TBI can rise significantly. If the speeding vehicle strikes one sitting at a red light, this can cause the occupants’ heads to snap forward and then back, causing the brain to rebound against the inside of the skull. This is especially dangerous to certain passengers, including:
- Babies
- The elderly
- People with existing disabilities
This type of injury, commonly known as a closed brain injury, can result in serious cognitive damage and even death.
Alcohol use
Drivers under the influence of alcohol may cause serious car accidents that result in a TBI for occupants in another vehicle. They may drive in the wrong direction on a highway, swerve into another driver’s lane or black out behind the wheel. Loss of vehicle control may also cause more serious injuries for everyone involved, including traumatic brain injury.
Aggressive driving
When drivers find themselves in heavy traffic and late for work or an important appointment, they may drive more aggressively. This includes changing lanes rapidly and cutting off other drivers. As each circumstance may carry a higher risk of accident, the chances of anyone involved experiencing a TBI are usually higher.
A TBI can happen to anyone during a car accident. However, drivers who remain aware of risk factors can prevent these serious injuries.
