It is incredibly easy to injure your brain during a motor vehicle collision. There is a reason why car crashes are one of the most common sources of modern traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Traveling around at high speeds creates the risk of a collision, which might result in traumatic injury to those involved.
One of the most concerning elements of brain injuries is how they often don’t present symptoms right away after a crash. People may go days or weeks without the medical care that they need after hurting their brains in a wreck. If you understand the four main ways in which a car crash might cause a brain injury, you will be better able to evaluate yourself and determine when you need a professional medical examination.
How might you hurt your brain in a car crash?
1. Blunt force trauma
The most obvious way that you can hurt your brain in a car crashes is through blunt force trauma. You hit your head on the window, the steering wheel or something else when you get thrown from the vehicle. Blunt force trauma will cause bleeding and swelling or possibly even a fracture of a skull that could require surgical intervention and may eventually produce severe symptoms.
2. Violent head motions
You don’t have to hit your head on anything to damage your brain. When vehicles collide, the one that you are in might end up spinning in circles or rolling over. The more aggressive and abrupt those emotions are, the more likely it is for your head to move violently during the crash. If your brain strikes the inside of your skull, that can lead to bruising and bleeding that can produce TBI symptoms.
3. Penetrating injuries
The pieces of glass, rigid plastic and metal flying around during a car crash won’t just cut your skin. Sometimes, they can embed in your body. Even when the entry point is tiny, a penetrating injury to the head could cause damage to the skull or the brain. Such injuries can be extreme and may also come with the secondary risk of infection.
4. Percussive force
Although it is rare, sometimes car crashes eventually lead to explosions. The percussive force produced during the explosion could very easily cause severe brain damage.
If you hit your head, get shaken up, get cut by debris or witness an explosion, your chances of having a TBI related to the car crash increase substantially. Knowing when you need a professional evaluation for a brain injury can help you get necessary medical treatment and potentially insurance benefits.