Car accidents cause injury and damage at all speeds. The amount of damage that occurs in a 30 miles per hour crash can be enough to cause severe injury to a driver and passengers.
Bodily injury and property damage from a 30 mph car crash often depend on the type of accident. You are more likely to suffer significant injury from these types of car accidents, regardless of speed:
There are other factors, including a substantial size difference between the two vehicles. If you are in a subcompact car and are hit by a full-size SUV, the chances are that you and your vehicle will be in worse shape.
Three distinct stages occur in a car accident, no matter how fast each vehicle is traveling. Each of these stages carries the potential for serious injury or even loss of life.
The first instant of contact – until the vehicle comes to a complete stop – occurs in one-tenth of a second. This is the first stage of the crash. This is when most significant vehicle damage happens, such as crumpling of the vehicle’s front end – in a head-on collision, for example.
Immediately after this initial impact, the vehicle begins to distort and decelerate. Cars are designed to deform after impact so that the car’s materials absorb energy from the crash rather than the vehicle’s occupants.
As the vehicle crashes into the other object and slows down, the occupants continue to move forward at the same speed and direction before impact. Inertia continues their movement in the direction of the impact point until something stops them, ideally a seatbelt and/or an airbag. However, it could also be a window, dashboard, or steering wheel.
A vehicle in a 30 mph crash slows to a complete stop almost instantaneously. However, an unrestrained occupant will absorb much of the energy of the impact upon their body.
Without any restraint, an individual moving forward in a 30 mph crash may suffer serious injuries. That is how seatbelts help prevent serious injury or death: preventing an individual from moving forward after the vehicle has stopped. Always buckle up and make sure that your car’s deployable airbags are in good working condition.
The third phase of a 30 mph crash can be the most devastating for the vehicle occupants. As the vehicle and passengers decelerate, the body tissues and organs continue to move toward the point of impact. Seat belts and airbags can absorb the impact, but the body’s bones halt the forward movement of internal organs in many cases.
It is possible to suffer internal injuries after a 30 mph crash, with damage to the:
Some victims with internal bleeding may not have immediate symptoms. That is why anyone involved in a car accident should get medical attention right away. Even a 30 mph crash may be enough to cause severe internal bleeding, organ damage, or organ failure.
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We have helped clients recover damages for a 30 mph car accident that was not their fault. If you are hurt from a crash due to someone’s negligent or reckless act, you could recover compensation for medical bills, lost pay, and pain and suffering.
Call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. today for a free case review. Our car accident attorneys serve clients throughout the Chicago area, including Aurora, Elgin, Hinsdale, Joliet, Naperville, and Waukegan.
The sooner you call, the sooner we can help you with your case.
Get your free, no-obligation consultation. Call (312) 236-2900 today.
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