Why is it dangerous to drive home after a car crash?

On Behalf of Egolf + Ferlic + Martinez + Cox, LLC

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Jul 13, 2022

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Motor Vehicle Accidents

You might want to get on with your day as soon as possible if you are in a vehicle collision,

A quick check of yourself and your vehicle may suggest that you are fine to drive on. There are several reasons why this is inadvisable:

You are not a mechanic

It can be hard to know where to start checking. Modern cars have complex electronic systems, and an issue with one could make your vehicle less effective at braking or other essential functions.

You are not a doctor

Can you see inside your brain, torso or spinal column? If you can, you know you have serious injuries. Yet the injuries in those places are often impossible to spot from the outside, especially if you do not have medical training. They can, however, lead to lifelong harm or even death if not identified and treated promptly.

You are probably in shock

Even if you trained as both a doctor and a mechanic, the body usually goes into shock after a collision. Confusion is one of several ways shock manifests, so your chance of making correct assessments and decisions is much lower than normal. That would also make you dangerous if you were to continue driving.

The other main reason not to drive off is that the law requires you to ring the police and stay put in any crash where someone is injured, killed, or there is property damage over a minimal amount. Driving away could lead to charges, and it will also prevent you from getting the police report which will be crucial to your injury claim if you realize you suffered more injuries than you thought.