Missouri Head-On Collisions Thus Far in 2019

March Maintains High Numbers of Head-on Collisions

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol motor vehicle incident reports, we studied the head-on collisions in Missouri for the months of January, February and March. January had 13 head-on collisions. In those collisions, there were 11 fatalities and 11 serious injuries. In February, there were 15 head-on collisions in Missouri resulting in five fatalities and 21 people were seriously injured. In March, there were twelve head-on collisions worked by the MSHP including nine fatalities and nine people seriously injured including an infant. Overall, there have been 40 head-on collisions in the first three months of 2019.

Head-On Collisions are Uniquely Dangerous

Because of the nature of head-on collisions, these type of crashes tend to always be very serious in regard to injury and are frequently fatal. In a head-on collision, the combined force of both vehicles is concentrated in the front sections of both striking vehicles and focused on the front seat passengers specifically. Unlike other types of crashes, head-on collisions generally happen at high rates of speed and the car it struck with equal or more speed directly in front. So, if both cars are traveling 50 mph, the combined force at the striking point of the two vehicles could be 100 mph. Of course, both cars are not generally traveling at the same speed and there are other factors such as weight and size of the vehicles and angle variations.

The bottom line is that head-on collisions are the most dangerous types of crashes and 40 head-on collisions in three months is too many. Below are summaries of the crashes of the seriously injured or fatally inured person who were not listed as in error of traveling in the wrong lane or crossing the center line. Of course all incident reports are not final and do not represent proof of fault of any driver. In each of these collisions as reported by the MSHP a vehicle crossed the center line and struck another vehicle head-on or in several instances, a driver was driving the wrong way on a highway and then struck another vehicle head-on. No information has been listed in many of these crashes as to why any vehicles crossed the center lines nor why some vehicles were traveling the wrong way.

January 2019 Head-on Collision Summary

January 3, 2019, Phelps County on US Highway 63: An 80 year-old Rolla man was injured when a Ford F250 driven by a 74 year-old Lenox, MO man veered into the path of his northbound Buick driven by a 80 year-old Rolla man.

January 7, 2019, Platte County, Route N: A westbound Ford driven by a 19 year-old Fort Levenworth, KS man failed to negotiate a curve and crossed the center line and struck a Pontiac driven by a 31 year-old man of Platte City. The Platte City man was fatally injured and the Fort Levenworth man was moderately injured.

January 10, 2019, St. Louis County on Page Ave: A 53 year-old St. Louis, MO woman and an 18 year-old Hannibal, MO woman were both seriously injured when a Toyota Matrix driven by an 18 year-old Country Club Hills, IL man crossed the center line and struck their Mazda.

January 15, 2019, Lincoln County, Highway 79: A 60 year-old Winfield, MO woman was killed when a Dodge Ram driven by a 53 year-old Winfield, MO man crossed into the path of her Jeep Cherokee. The driver of the Ram was seriously injured.

January 19, 2019, Jasper County, MO 66: A 23 year-old driver of Carthage, MO was seriously injured in a crash when a Ford F15o driven by an 18 year-old Carthage man crossed the center turn lane and struck the 23 year-olds Dodge head on. Passengers in both vehicles sustained moderate injuries.

January 19, 2019, St. Louis County at St. Charles Rock Road: Police were pursuing a Chevy Cavalier driven by a 21 year-old St. Louis man. The Cavalier traveled into the westbound lane and struck another car driven by a 43 year-old St. Louis man who was seriously injured. The fleeing driver was fatally injured and two of his passenger were seriously injured.

February 2019 Head-on Collisions

February 1, 2019, Barry County, MO 86.: A Ford F350 driven by a 59 year-old Golden, MO man crossed the center line and struck a Chevy Trailblazer head-on. The 58 year-old driver of the Trailblazer was killed. He was from Fayetteville, Arkansas and his 63 year-old passenger was seriously injured, also from Fayetteville.

February 5, 2019, St. Louis County, Natural Bridge Ave: A 34 year-old St. Louis, MO woman was seriously injured as well as her 14 year old passenger when they were struck head on by a Dodge Journey driven by a 16 year-old St. Louis male as he was traveling west in the eastbound lane.

February 15, 2019, Perry County, MO Route 51: A 30 yearold Perryville, MO man was seriously injured when the driver of a Chevy Silverado crossed the center line and struck his Pontiac Grand Prix.

February 17, 2019, Adair County, Hwy 6: A 34 year-old Brashear, MO man was seriously injured along with his 10 year-old son when a 28 year-old Canton, MO man crossed the center line on icy highway and struck their Jeep head-on. The 28 year-old driver of the Ford truck was also seriously injured.

March 2019 Head-on Collisions

March 15, 2019; Butler County, Route AA: A 57 year-old Broseley, MO man was killed when a GMC Sierra crossed the center line and struck his Harley Davidson head-on.

March 24, 2019; Jefferson County, Highway Y: A 52 year-old St. Clair, MO woman was seriously injured when the Cadillac she was driving was struck head-on by a Dodge Ram. Two passengers in her Cadillac, a 77 year-old Pacific, MO woman and another 76 year-old Pacific, MO woman were both listed as moderately injured. The 66 year-old Luebbering, MO man driving the Ram was listed with minor injuries. His passenger, a 63 year-old Luebbering woman was also listed with moderate injuries.

March 25, 2019; Stone County, MO 143: An 82 year-old Crane, MO woman was killed when her Chevy HHR was struck head-on by a Ford Ranger driven by a 68 year-old Marionville, MO man. He was reported as having moderate injuries.

March 27, 2019, Christian County, US 6: A 67 year-old Reeds Spring, MO man was killed when a Chevy Impala crossed the median and struck his Harley Davidson motorcycle, two other motorcyclist were seriously injured as one was also hit head-on and another motorcyclist was struck by debris. The two seriously injured motorcyclists include a 70 year-old man and a 67 year-old man from Springfield, MO. The driver of the Impala was also seriously injured.

March 27, 2019, Dunklin County, Highway 53: A 41 year-old Kennett, MO man was injured when his Nissan Pathfinder was struck head on after a Chevy Equinox crossed the center line of the roadway. The driver of the Equinox was listed as moderately injured but the infant in the Equinox was listed as seriously injured. The crash occurred around 5:37 p.m.

March 2019, St. Francois County. on Highway OO: A 65 year-old Farmington, MO woman was seriously injured when Chevy Monte Carlo was struck head-on by a Ford Focus driven by a 71 year-old Fredericktown, MO woman. The crash occurred around 1 p.m.

Following a Head-On Car Collision

As evident, head-on car collisions are serious crashes. There are a number of reasons head-on collisions occur such as inattentiveness, improper passing, distracted driving and driving under the influence. This is not to say that any one of these reasons were the cause or causes of any of the head-on collisions in Missouri in the last three months. Each crash has a specific set of facts and each crash. The commonalities in each of these crashes are serious injuries and death. After such as serious crash, there are many questions including how families of the deceased and seriously injured victims can and will face the future. No one should have to face the insurance negotiations or potential litigation on their own.

Serious injury and wrongful death motor vehicle collisions are our specialty. We have been honored to represent many people recover after these traumatic events in their lives. Putting the pieces back together is never easy. While so many of our clients are examples of courage and heroism, no one does it all on their own. We are here to help.

Call us toll free 1.800.685.3302 or locally 314.276.1681, 7 days a week.