Two Officers Hospitalized in Squad Car Collision

 

Squad Car Collision Sends Two Officers to the Hospital

Two officers were hospitalized early Thursday morning at around midnight responding to a call about an officer in trouble, according to a News4SA report.

According to the report, both squad cars had their lights and sirens on and were attempting a left turn on West Avenue near Basse when the following officer miscalculated the turn, hitting the vehicle in front. The impact caused the leading squad vehicle to spin out of control and into a utility pole, breaking several of the officer’s ribs as a result. The officers were transported to the hospital and are both expected to recover fully.

Did You Know?

T-Bone accidents account for 18% of all fatal accidents in the United States.

T-Bone Accidents in Texas

T-bone collisions, also commonly referred to as broadside accidents or side-impact crashes, represent about 13% of accidents in the United States. However, the nature of these accidents makes them incredibly dangerous.

Common Causes of T-bone Accidents

The most common reason that these kinds of collisions happen is when the at-fault vehicle fails to yield the right-of-way, commonly at left turns, as in the above case. Interestingly, these kinds of collisions can also be the result of environmental factors such as road conditions. For example, when traffic signals are not operational due to power outages or maintenance or when wet or icy roads cause vehicles to fail turns, there is often an immediate spike in side-impact collisions.

With all of the construction going on in San Antonio right now, remember to be extra diligent at traffic lights to protect yourself from confused or reckless drivers causing a broadside accident.

Injuries in T-bone Accidents

Injuries in T-bone accidents are often severe and frequently result in fatalities, especially for small children. Common injuries include:

• Crushing injuries – Passengers and drivers of the impacted vehicle are often crushed because the sides of a vehicle have less impact protection than the front or the rear. This can lead to organ damage and limb damage.
• Broken bones – Cracked ribs and broken limbs are among the most commonly reported injuries in side-impact crashes, as they often result in the impacted vehicle being thrown into other vehicles.
• Burn injuries – Burns are commonly reported as hot engine fluid is so near the passengers of the impacted vehicle. Seat belts and airbags also commonly cause burn injuries for occupants of both vehicles.

When side-impact crashes involve motorcycles or semi-trucks, they are almost always fatal or result in permanent disability.

Determining Fault

One or both drivers can be at fault for a T-bone accident. Though T-bone accidents are usually the result of one driver failing to yield the right of way, both vehicles can be responsible at the same time. For example, if a driver runs a red light and an approaching vehicle cannot stop in time, then the driver who ran the red light would be at-fault. However, if the other driver had time to stop but intentionally moved forward anyway because they were angry at the other driver, they would share fault for the accident.

Auto Accident Attorneys Serving San Antonio

If you were in a T-bone collision that was not your fault in San Antonio, contact the auto accident attorneys at the Carabin Shaw law office today for a free case evaluation at 800-862-1260, or fill out this form to get started. We look forward to serving you.