What Causes Occupants to Be Ejected From a Vehicle During a Crash?

When people are ejected from a vehicle during an accident, serious injuries are almost inevitable. In fact, the probability of serious injury or death is much higher than during most other types of motor vehicle injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed due to ejection from a vehicle during an automobile or trucking accident, contact a Florida car accident attorney at Searcy Denney for help with your insurance and legal claims.

What Causes Ejections?

The most common mode of ejection is a driver or passenger being thrown through a windshield, window, or door during a collision. Typically, such ejections occur when the vehicle occupant fails to wear a seatbelt. However, other reasons for ejections after a crash include:

• Weak roofs or sunroofs
• Weak window glass
• Malfunctioning door latches 
• Defective seatbelts

Certain types of accidents are more likely to cause ejections than others, some of which include:

• Rear-End Accidents. The sheer force generated by slamming into the back of another vehicle can cause ejections since the vehicle has suddenly stopped, but the occupant’s body tends to keep moving forward. As Newton put it: “[a]n object [your body] in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction…” unless it is stopped by some other force, such as hitting the ground.
• Vehicle Rollovers. The force of a rolling car may eject occupants and make their injuries far worse.
• Single vehicle accidents. Like hitting another vehicle from behind, ejections may occur when a car hits a wall, a guard rail, a tree, a utility pole, or a lamp post.
• Multi-vehicle accidents. Multi-vehicle accidents can potentially cause multi-occupant ejections, and someone who is in the middle or at the front of a long line of crashed cars may be ejected due to the force transferred to their vehicle.

The Myth of Seatbelts

Some people will tell you that it’s safer to travel without a seatbelt because you may not be able to unlatch it after an accident. This myth is generally put out there by those who are too lazy to buckle up or feel “uncomfortable” wearing seatbelts, which would be funny in its ignorance if the subject matter weren’t so serious.

The chances of being ejected are far greater than faulty seatbelts, and the injuries are far more severe. Don’t risk your life by refusing to wear seatbelts.

Contact a Florida Car Accident Attorney for More Information on Ejections

Vehicle ejections are far more dangerous than typical accident injuries. The single best thing you can do to prevent ejection is to wear your seatbelt. If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, a Florida car accident attorney can help. We work on a contingency fee basis. We also offer free consultations, so contact us to discuss your claims as soon as possible.