Did you know that as many as 50 million people around the world are injured in car accidents each year?
Nobody likes to imagine worst-case scenarios, but learning about what can happen if you get into a car accident can help you be prepared. Knowing what to do after an accident will help keep you, your passengers, and your vehicle safe.
Keep reading to learn about five of the most common car accident injuries people experience.
1. Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries because seatbelts can only stop the body from moving forward after a crash. When the belt locks the body in place, the head continues to move from the momentum. As a result, your neck gets all of the strain because the soft tissues take all of that tension.
Whiplash symptoms can take some time to develop, so it’s vital that you see a medical professional to receive care. No matter how long your symptoms take to develop, you should never delay your appointment if you’re experiencing pain.
2. Chest Injuries
Seatbelts save countless lives, but their design isn’t totally perfect. Depending on how fast you were driving when you got hit, you could experience a wide range of injuries from car accidents.
If the damage is slight, then you could walk away with some minor bruising around the areas your seatbelt was touching. In more severe cases, the force of the seatbelt tightening against your body could be powerful enough to break a rib.
3. Head Injuries
One of the most serious car accident injuries involves your head. It’s possible to get cuts, bruises, or even broken bones in your face if your head is impacted. Head injuries always require immediate medical attention because the trauma could be harsh enough to cause brain bleeding, which can lead to a concussion or even death.
4. Arm and Leg Injuries
Our arms and legs are made of lots of soft tissue, which is the most vulnerable to damage. The good news is that many of these cases tend to be minor car accident injuries.
However, if your knee hits the side of your door in the crash, you might have to go to physical therapy or get surgery to correct chronic pain or mobility issues. Sitting in a proper position while you drive is the best way to avoid contact with hard surfaces in your car.
5. Cuts and Bruises
If you have sharp objects in your car or your glass gets broken, it’s likely that you can develop cuts anywhere on your body. This is why it’s helpful to do a total-body check to ensure you’re not bleeding anywhere.
If you do experience trauma anywhere, you can also develop large, painful bruises that can take a couple of weeks to heal. Seeing a doctor right away will ensure you don’t have any active internal bleeding that requires surgery.
Now You Know the Most Common Car Accident Injuries
Since car accident injuries can be serious and lead to long-term damage, it’s important to see your doctor right away if you ever suffer from an accident.
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