North Dakota Interstate Accidents

Car accidents are bad enough at slow speeds – when they occur at interstate speed, they typically lead to catastrophic results. There are a lot of factors that make motor vehicle accidents that occur on interstates much more dangerous than the “average” car accident – as if such a thing even exists.

If you’ve suffered an injury in an interstate accident caused by someone else’s negligence, the attorneys with Sand Law will be here for you. We’ll work to help you obtain the most money possible for your claim, and be ready to fight for you if an insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer.

How Does an Interstate Accident Differ from other Car Accidents?

Why are interstate accidents more devastating than other types of wrecks? The answer is simple – speed. The higher the speed at which an accident occurs, the worse the injuries will be. In far too many instances, the outcome of this kind of wreck will often be a tragedy. Whether an accident involves a single-car rollover, or the accident involves multiple vehicles, increased speeds mean increased dangers.

Injuries Caused by High-Speed Accidents

There are a lot of different kinds of injuries associated with high-speed accidents. Here’s a brief look at some of the more common ones.

Head injuries – Seatbelts do a great job of reducing the risk that you’ll die in a high-speed accident, but they don’t provide any protection for your head. When someone is going fast and gets into a wreck, some sort of head impact will usually be inevitable. A driver’s head could strike a side window, a steering wheel, or even the dashboard. That impact causes the brain to move within the skull, tearing vital, delicate brain tissue. This type of traumatic brain injury can result in a lifetime of debilitation.
Back and neck injuries – Injuries to either the back or neck can be devastating, leading to permanent paralysis and lost quality of life. These types of injuries will usually result in years of expensive treatments as well as physical therapy. Even when victims undergo this kind of intensive treatment, they may still not regain their full mobility.
Chest injuries – Even though a seatbelt can save a person’s life, when a high-speed interstate accident occurs, the seatbelt can place an incredible amount of force on a victim’s torso. This can lead to significant damage, such as broken ribs and other severe injuries.

Types of Vehicles Involved in Interstate Accidents

As bad as any kind of interstate accident can be, the damage can be even worse when it involves a truck. If you’ve been on an interstate for any length of time, you’ve no doubt seen scores of trucks transporting goods. This is especially true during the holidays, when truck drivers are under even more pressure to get their deliveries done so they can be with their families. When a truck hits a car, the occupants of that vehicle are put under tremendous forces. In many instances, victims can’t survive that type of impact.

Causes of Interstate Accidents

These are just some of the many reasons interstate accidents occur.

Distracted Driving

Just about everyone has, at one time or another, been on a road trip going through several states. At times the drive can be, well, boring. You can only see so many billboards and trees before everything starts looking the same. Some drivers will turn to their phones to pass the time, or will continually change the channel on their radio. This, of course, takes their attention away from the road – even a momentary lack of focus can lead to horrible consequences.

Entrance and Exit Ramps

When motorists are traveling a stretch of highway they’re not familiar with, entrance and exit ramps can get confusing. They might all of a sudden see the exit they need to take, and will swerve suddenly in order to make the ramp. Or, they may be so confused they go the wrong way, and quickly find they’re heading into oncoming traffic traveling at a high rate of speed.

This can happen at any time of the year, of course, but the dangers of these kinds of mistakes are even higher during the winter, when snowy conditions can make it harder to see.

Construction

Anyone who’s had the harrowing experience of driving in a construction zone on an interstate knows how challenging it can be. A four-lane stretch of interstate can suddenly turn into one or two lanes, with imposing concrete barriers on both sides. Motorists can also encounter heavy equipment, unexpected detours and other challenges. Any of these conditions can lead to an accident.

Speeding or Aggressive Driving

Drivers travel on interstates for a lot of different reasons. They may be headed on a cross-country trip, or they may simply use an interstate every day as part of their work commute. Wherever they’re going, they want to get there as fast as they possibly can. This, of course, means driving well over the speed limit.

Unfortunately, interstates can often bring surprises. There could be a pothole that someone’s not expecting, or the remnants of a blown-out tire. There might even be an animal, such as a deer, trying to get to the other side of the highway. When people are going too fast, they don’t have enough time to react to these challenges.

Contact Sand Law Today to Discuss Your Interstate Accident Case

If a negligent driver has caused your interstate accident, one of the first things you should do is to contact a car accident attorney as soon as you can – the sooner the better. The reason is that a skilled attorney will have the resources to launch an immediate investigation into your wreck. This investigation will uncover the evidence you need to prove your case. This evidence will provide you with the best possible chance of obtaining fair compensation for the injuries you’ve suffered.

Sand Law attorneys have that skill, as well as the resources needed to perform thorough investigations. Put that skill to work for you by contacting us online or calling 701-609-1510 to schedule a free case review.