According to Driver Knowledge, 6 million auto accidents occur each year in the United States.
An accident can sideline you from running your business or even cause long-lasting injuries. The best way to keep yourself safe is to know what to watch out for.
Here are seven of the most common car accident injuries along with their symptoms.
1. Whiplash
Car accidents and whiplash are practically synonymous. But that doesn't mean whiplash is something to write off.
Whiplash occurs when an extreme amount of force is put on the neck at a rapid pace and can lead to more than just soreness. Over time, whiplash can turn into long term neck pain, cognitive decline, and vision and hearing troubles.
2. Back Pain
Back pain, like whiplash, is common yet troubling. It occurs most often when a vehicle is rear-ended.
If the pain doesn't go away within a few days, it's possible that the accident caused damage to your spine or disks. While most cases of spinal injuries are treatable, it'll take a great deal of time, so the sooner you reach out to your doctor the better.
3. Internal Bleeding
Just because you don't see any scratches or scrapes on your body doesn't mean you left the scene free of injury.
Signs of internal bleeding include:
- Confusion
- Blood in your urine or stool
- Recurring headaches
- Nausea
- Swelling of the stomach
4. Brain Injuries
It's fair to state that airbags do more good than harm. Yet at the same time, the average airbag deploys at speeds between 100 and 220 miles per hour.
Imagine what that kind of impact could do to your head.
People in serious auto accidents might experience a traumatic brain injury that could have a life-altering impact. Those with a brain injury may have trouble with motor skills, memory issues, or experience mood swings.
5. Cuts and Bruises
By all accounts, if you walk away from a car accident with nothing more than cuts and bruises, you're relatively lucky. Still, it's best to treat your injury with the severity it deserves.
Cuts, for instance, are prone to infection. You'll still need to seek medical treatment, even if it's only to obtain a bandage and some anti-bacterial ointment.
6. Broken Bones
Whether we're talking about a front-end collision, rear-end collision, or side collision, the force exerted on your body in a car crash is so great that even a low-impact accident can result in broken bones.
While bones will heal on their own, not seeking medical treatment increases your chances of a bone healing at the wrong angle. In these cases, the bone must be rebroken and reset.
7. Anxiety
When we talk about car accident injuries, we tend to focus on physical symptoms. But let's not overlook the very real effects that an accident can have on one's psyche.
Following an accident, it can be tough to get behind the wheel again or even think about leaving the house. These symptoms should be treated with the same degree of seriousness as whiplash or internal bleeding.
These Car Accident Injuries Are Nothing to Mess With
Car accident injuries are all too common. So next time you're out on the road, stay safe and vigilant.
And if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in an automobile accident, remember to get to a doctor as soon as you can. Your life may depend on it.
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