G-Forces in an Automobile Accident

It's not the speed that causes an injury; it's the sudden stop.

Remember that your body and organs are moving at the same speed that your car is moving. The g-forces involved in a motor-vehicle accident can easily cause catastrophic injuries, damage to the organs, or even death.

Today's cars come with an array of technological and engineering safety features which help to lessen the impact of a crash. That being said, thousands of lives are lost each and every day as a direct result of auto accidents.

Simply put, g-forces are a measure of kinetic energy which your body is subjected to, most-often during acceleration or deceleration. 1 g is equivalent to the earth’s gravitational pull. In an accident however, your body may experience a tremendous amount of g-force in a very short period of time.

If you've been injured or a loved one has been killed in a car accident, call us at (214) 651-6100 for a free consultation. We're happy to investigate your claims and advise you of your legal options moving forward, and we charge nothing to do so.

Energy released during a car accident.

Fuel is used to create a series of small explosions in the engine, which moves the car forward. The faster you go, the more kinetic energy you and the vehicle possess. When you hit the brakes or your car comes to an abrupt stop, all this kinetic energy has to go somewhere. A small portion is released as heat (e.g., tire friction), a lot of it goes into reshaping the vehicle as well as other vehicles that may come into contact with yours, but a significant amount of kinetic energy is absorbed by the body; more so if the occupant is not properly restrained by a seat belt.

Modern cars are designed to absorb much of the impact via crumple zones and air bags, as well as through crash avoidance/ automatic braking systems (which can minimize impact by automatically slowing the vehicle in emergency situations). While many lives have been saved as a direct result of these safety features, in reality, they can only do so much.

Typical g-forces in a motor-vehicle collision.

According to GSU's HyperPhysics Project, a 160 lb person—wearing a seat belt and traveling at only 30 miles per hour—experiences around 30 g's of force in a front-end collision with a fixed object. That's 2.4 tons of force acting on the body! What's worse is that if the vehicle occupant was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, they would likely experience 150 g's, or 12 tons of force.

The above scenario shows what can happen at only 30 mph. At the same time, it's not uncommon for people to suffer serious soft-tissue injuries and broken bones in even lower-speed collisions than that.

Injuries to internal organs.

Since your organs can somewhat move around in the cavities/compartments of your body, they can also endure physical trauma in an accident. These types of injuries may not be immediately apparent, which is why you should ALWAYS seek a medical evaluation following a car crash.

An impact could cause an aneurysm, internal bleeding, a ruptured spleen, a spinal fluid leak, and more. These injuries (especially if not mitigated/treated) can lead to organ shutdown, traumatic brain injuries, or even death.

Reducing your risk of injury.

In order to reduce the effects of g-forces on your body, it is important to wear a seatbelt at all times. Not only will a seatbelt stop your body from colliding with the car's interior, it can provide about a foot of extra "stretching" distance which can drastically reduce the amount of acute g-force exerted on your body.

Additionally, it is always a good idea to practice defensive driving techniques in order to anticipate any would-be accident scenarios on the road. Avoid following other vehicles too closely, and put down the cell phone! It's estimated that one out of every five car crashes which result in an injury is a direct result of distracted driving.

Car accidents can be life-changing and result in serious financial difficulty. You may be facing medical bills, lost wages, or even permanent disability. If you were not at-fault for the accident, you have every right to seek financial compensation from the negligent party in order to cover ALL of your related losses and expenses. Do not let the insurance company pull you along or pay you less than you're legally owed. Contact the personal injury attorneys at Rasansky Law Firm today, and let us help you recover every penny you're owed.