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Is if possible to avoid a head-on collision?

On Behalf of The Law Offices of Goldfine & Bowles, P.C.

August 4, 2021

All kinds of motor vehicle accidents bring the potential for severe injuries and even fatalities. Likely, the accident a great many Illinois drivers fear is a head-on collision since the chances for fatalities are significant in such crashes. Drivers may take additional precautions when traveling on single-lane highways. Sometimes, awareness and defensive driving could help someone avoid a collision.

Avoiding head-on crashes

A driver choosing to ignore safety and common sense to cross a double line to pass a car may end up traveling in the direct line of an oncoming vehicle. Even with broken lines indicating passing is legal, drivers do not have free rein to pass whenever they feel like it. Reckless and ill-advised attempts to overtake a vehicle could turn out to be tragic.

Not all head-on collisions result from outrageous actions, though. Sometimes, drivers might not pay attention to signs warning them not to enter or that they are traveling the wrong way on a one-way street. Paying better attention to the road could help someone avoid making these mistakes.

Taking a defensive driving class could help those wishing to avoid another driver’s negligent behavior. Even when one driver stays in a lane, another vehicle could instigate a potential head-on collision. Knowing how to avoid an oncoming car might be a valuable skill.

Negligent drivers and head-on collisions

Poor decisions and brief distractions aren’t the only reasons behind head-on collision accidents. Gross negligence in the form of intoxicated or reckless driving may result in a crash.

A fatigued driver might fall asleep at the wheel and veer into oncoming traffic. Someone who worked too many hours or took an OTC pill known to cause drowsiness could make a deadly decision when choosing to drive.