You probably know about several kinds of car accidents. You might get in a fender bender. You can also hit someone from the side, causing a T-bone collision. You might have a rollover or sideswipe accident as well.

However, there is also the head-on car crash, and that’s a particularly dangerous one. Head-on car wrecks often end tragically. If you think about them for a moment, you can probably imagine why.

The impact if a car strikes you from directly ahead of you can kill or severely injure you. It can do the same thing to a passenger who’s sitting beside you. The individuals in the backseat might have a better survival chance, since they’re a little further away from the point of impact.

You should also know as a driver about the most common mistakes that can cause head-on accidents. We will talk about five of them in the following article.

MORE NEWS: 12 Arizona companies make Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America list

Going the Wrong Way Up One-Way Streets

If you drive the wrong way on a one-way street, there is a high chance that you will hit another car head on. That’s because you’re driving against traffic.

If someone sees you driving straight toward them, and you see them as well, then you should probably stop in time. However, if you’re driving the wrong way up a one-way street, then you obviously made a serious driving mistake.

Maybe your car or smartphone’s navigation system gave you bad directions. While going up a one-way street, heading in the wrong direction, if you’re trying to figure out where you’re going, and you’re in unfamiliar territory, you may not stop in time if another car suddenly appears in front of you. A head-to-head collision is definitely possible in that scenario.

Drunk Driving

You might also drive the wrong way up a one-way street for a very specific reason. Often, alcohol enters into these scenarios.

If you drive drunk, and you’re far enough over the legal limit, your intoxication can lead you to make bad decisions. You might drive recklessly up a one-way street because you didn’t see a street sign. Perhaps you’re talking and laughing with people in the car while you’re driving. If you’re drunk, driving can seem like a game with no consequences, even if it’s the furthest thing from that.

If you consume alcohol, it makes sense to designate a driver, even if you think you’re under the legal limit. You can always call for an Uber or a taxi instead.

Driving While Under the Influence of Other Intoxicants

Some people cause head-to-head collisions while driving because they ingested some other intoxicant besides alcohol. Recreational marijuana has achieved legal status in several states now, with more joining that list seemingly every year. If you smoke marijuana or ingest an edible, then you will be in a condition where you certainly shouldn’t drive.

It’s illegal to ingest or smoke marijuana before driving, but some people feel they can do it with no repercussions. If you’re in that sort of an altered state, though, then you can easily get into a head-on collision.

You might also consume some other kind of intoxicant and drive. Maybe that’s an illegal drug, but you also have some legal ones that can cause you to miss street signs and drive the wrong way up one-way streets.

For instance, if you consume a drug that a doctor prescribed to you that makes you drowsy or woozy, you might cause a head on-collision for that reason. That’s why you need to avoid driving when a doctor puts you on a new drug or ups the dosage of one that you’re currently taking.  

Driving in Bad Weather

You can also cause a head-on car crash if you drive in rough weather. If you do, then the visibility often gets bad. Just think how little you can see while you’re driving if there’s rain pouring down all around the car. If you’re driving in the rain, snow, hail, sleet, or fog, and it’s also night time, then causing a crash becomes even more likely.

You might not see a street sign and drive the wrong way up a one-way street, but you can also cross a double yellow line without knowing it. If there’s enough snow on the ground so that you can’t see the double yellow lines, then you can cross into the lane of oncoming traffic without realizing it.

If you suddenly see a car’s blinding headlights bearing down on you, maybe you can swerve out of the way in time, but perhaps you can’t. You might also swerve out of the way, overcompensate, and hit another car in the lane beside you.

That’s why you need to try to stay off the roads when there’s bad weather. If you must go out, then drive slower than the speed limit and use your wipers.

Trying to Elude the Police

Some people drive recklessly, and they don’t care much about traffic’s rules. Such individuals can easily cause a head-on collision.

If you have a situation where someone’s driving and trying to elude the police, then they can cause a head-on car wreck. They may ignore a street sign or cross a double yellow line with the police chasing them. Accidents at that point become almost inevitable.

Obviously, you should never try to get away from the police. If they pull you over, you must submit to their questioning.

If you can avoid all of these behaviors, you will probably not cause any head-on collisions. Remember, to cause this particular kind of a car wreck, you probably have to make a pretty egregious traffic error.

By acting responsibly on the road, you can keep yourself safe, as well as your passengers, fellow drivers around you, cyclists, pedestrians, etc. Every time you start a car’s engine and operate it, consider that you’re behind the wheel of a large, heavy machine, and you should take all the precautions the law demands.