Health Repercussions Caused By Car Accidents and How to Stay Safe

On average, 3,287 people are killed in automotive crashes each day in the United States. In addition to the deaths, another 20-50 million people are injured and disabled. The health effects of even minor car accidents can be long-lasting and life changing; so how can these problems be avoided?

By performing regular maintenance on your car, and paying attention to the following specific areas, you can help prevent accidents in the coming year. Included here are a few health repercussions of auto accidents and how they can be avoided with basic maintenance.

Common Health Repercussions

Emotional Effects

While not a visible injury, a recent British study revealed that over a third of people injured in nonfatal car accidents suffer from an emotional disorder. This means suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and even new phobias. Many individuals suffering from emotional complications after the accident had to receive medical care for psychiatric help within 3-12 months of the accident.

Whiplash

While whiplash is not usually considered a severe injury, it can cause problems for the remainder of your life. Some individuals who suffer from whiplash notice persistent migraines and neck pain. You may notice decreased ease of neck movement and constant stiffness. With massage therapy and chiropractic help you may be able to ease these physical woes, but not get rid of them completely.

Maintenance to Prevent Auto Accidents

Check Your Tires

A leading cause of auto accidents can be driving on tires that are not suited to road conditions. Many people fail to check their tires to be sure the tread is thick enough for dry roads.  Bald tires can skid, even on dry pavement, and send you into a ditch when going around a tight curve.

A popular way of checking tire tread is to insert a quarter into the groove on your tire tread with Washington’s head down. As long as the tread reaches his head, you have at least 4/32” of tread left which means you are still safe but may need replacement soon.

Failing to upgrade your summer tires to studded or snow tires in the winter can prove especially dangerous. Summer tires are often a harder rubber than winter tires, so they do not grip the snow and ice as easily. This can quickly lead to sliding into an intersection or off the road in the depths of winter.

Check Your Brakes

Being able to stop quickly can save you from countless automotive accidents. If you are not properly maintaining your car with oil changes and inspections, you may not realize that your brake pads have become worn down. Worn brake pads do not grip as well and may even result in creating ruts in your brake rotors. Not only could will you be facing high replacement costs, but you may also risk injuring yourself in an accident.