Two people were killed in a head-on collision in Southwest Atlanta early Saturday morning, according to a report from WSB-TV. The accident occurred on Fairburn Road, about a mile from Deerwood Park. The police department reported that the two people who died were in a small SUV, and the driver of the other vehicle was treated at the scene. It was unclear if that individual later went to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, there are more than 3,600 fatal head-on collisions in the U.S. each year, accounting for around 10 percent of all traffic-related fatalities. Head-ons are generally caused by one driver’s failure to maintain their lane of travel and entering a lane intended for traffic traveling in the opposite direction. Some of the most common types of negligence that cause a driver to travel the wrong way on the roadway include drunk driving, driving distractions, drowsy driving, or unfamiliarity with the roadway.
Head-on accidents tend to be more severe due to the increased energy of the crash created by the forward motion of both vehicles. Because of the increase in the force of the collision, these accidents are also commonly associated with severe injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and broken bones throughout the body, including in the back, chest, and hips. The risk of injury is even higher for the occupants of a smaller vehicle that has collided head-on with a larger vehicle.
For instance, two people were killed and several injured following a fiery crash on I-20. In another incident, two people died and two were injured in a crash involving an ambulance and an SUV. Additionally, two people were killed in a wrong-way crash in Roswell, highlighting the dangers of head-on collisions.
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a head-on crash in the Atlanta metropolitan area that was caused by another driver, the legal team at Cambre & Associates can help you understand your options for pursuing compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injury or loss. Contact us for a free case evaluation.