Head-on accidents are often the most accuse types of collision, causing the most serious injuries. Just before the holidays, a man from Sharpsburg was reported to be in a serious condition after a head-on truck crash in Georgia.
A report in the Newnan-Times Herald noted Austin Lanford, a 22-year-old, was transported to Atlanta Medical Center. The truck he was driving hit a semi-truck near Ashley Woods Drive in Newnan, according to a report from Trooper Chris Davison with the Georgia State Patrol.
The accident occurred just before 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 24. Reports noted Lanford was traveling eastbound on Hwy. 16 in a GMC Sierra. He crossed a center line and hit a semi-truck head on, Georgia State Patrol stated.
Witnesses reported a fiery scene. The collision caused an explosion. The tractor-trailer left the roadway. It hit a telephone and a mailbox before jackknifing, coming to rest with the cab in flames.
They recalled a chaotic wreck scene. James Doggrell and Nyki Pastuszka arrived just minutes after the collision.
Doggerel said they heard someone calling out for help from the wreckage. The highway was too treacherous to walk on. They circumvented the wreckage and went into nearby woods to reach the front of the semi-truck.
head-on truck crash in Georgia causes injuries
Members of the Coweta County Fire Rescue removed Lanford from the interior of the truck within 10 minutes, according to Commander Craig Sherrer.
The fire was put out within 25 minutes. Crews remained on the scene to provide lighting and to put our hot spots for about two hours, according to Sherrer.
The driver of the semi-truck sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Atlanta Medical Center.
The roadway was covered in diesel fuel and oil leading to the closure of Hwy. 16 until 5 a.m., according to Davison. An investigation was led by the GSP Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT).
A head-on collision takes place when two cars collide when they are traveling in opposite directions.
These kinds of car, motorcycle and truck accidents cause more injuries because the force of the impact is doubled due to the combined speed of each vehicle. Even if two vehicles are only traveling at 20 mph, a head-on crash will be like a wreck at 40 mph.
Given the fact that most drivers travel slightly above the speed limit, it is more probable that you will experience an impact of at least 70 mph impact if you are involved in a head-on crash.
Head-on crashes account for as many as 10 percent of accidents on the roads of the United States. They are most common on undivided highways, often in rural areas.
On occasions, a driver may lose control because of excess speed on a curve. These wrecks may be caused by drunk driving or distracted driving. Often a driver drifts into the oncoming lane and causes the head-on collision. We have also seen incidents of wrong way drivers causing head-on collisions. In November, a wrong way driver in Laurens County caused the deaths of two students from Acworth.
Head-on crashes may also occur during bad weather such as when a driver slides on ice on the road.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a Georgia head-on crash, please call the Law Office of Michael West at (404) 913-1529.