Defensive end Sam Williams was driving home from practice in his brand-new Corvelle Z06 last week. It was a few days before Christmas. A driver in an SUV ran a light in Plano and crashed into him. The Corvette was demolished. Sam was taken to the hospital after he had fortunately escaped disabling pain or typical car crash injuries. Somehow he only had a small cut on his arm.
How did Sam not get hurt worse than that when almost everyone is injured after being in a car accident?
The answer has to be that he is a strong professional football player who is much more used to being battered than the rest of us.
How is being in a car wreck like being a professional football player?
Compared to the body-slamming tackles that a professional football player endures during a game, how hard is a person hit in a vehicle crash?
Someone in an average vehicle who is crashed into at 40 MPH feels 35 Gs (gravity forces – with one G being the normal force of walking and three Gs enough to pin people in carnival rides backward).
The 35 Gs is the same force as many tackles by 200 to 300-pound-plus players. Those bone-crunching slams that leave professional athletes lying on the field are what happens to many people. And vehicle occupants are not wearing helmets and pads.No wonder you may be hurting so much if you have been in a car or truck wreck.
EDITED 1-2-23. The NFL stopped the game between Buffalo and Cincinnati when safety Damar Hamlin was rushed to the ICU after falling over after an open-field tackle. Seeing an ambulance rush Damar away from the field was shocking. We all pray for his recovery.
This horrific injury was just the latest in stadiums this year. Last week, the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, Nick Foles, appeared to go into convulsions after he was hit. Earlier, the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins was rushed to the hospital during a game with a suspected brain injury. The NFL admits that even with 30 medical professionals at every game, they often miss diagnosing concussions and other injuries.
What are typical car crash injuries?
Being the victim of a car or truck collision can cause traumatic physical and emotional injury.
In the blink of an eye, your life can change for the worse.
Then you have to deal with financial and legal issues that can cause you further injury if not handled correctly. This is why people hire the best personal injury lawyer they can.
Over the past 42 years, I have helped thousands of people who have typical car crash injuries. These are the most common.
Neck and back injuries
These are the most common and can be the most difficult to live through. When a person’s body is violently and suddenly thrust forward, sideways, and backward, their bone, their ligaments, muscles, tendons, and fascia can be torn and damaged.
Strains and sprains, sometimes referred to as whiplash, are common.
Fortunately, with fast and effective medical treatment and medications, whiplash injuries usually subside relatively quickly. Physical therapists and chiropractors can be especially helpful.
In more serious cases, a bulging, protruding, or herniated vertebral disc may cause nerve damage. Life-long pain and disability may occur unless medical treatment is obtained.
Head and brain injuries
Your head may have hit the airbag, steering wheel, door, window, dashboard, rearview mirror, the person sitting next to you, or the seat in front of you.
If you lost consciousness or suffered a concussion or you are having seizures, slurred speech, or are vomiting, you should be taken to a hospital immediately after the collision.
You should also seek treatment later if you have these symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Loss of memory or concentration
- Fatigue
- Loss of sleep
Brain Injuries Serious Problem in Car Wrecks and Football Games
Year’s Eve weekend
My Texas Longhorns (I graduated in 1976) unfortunately lost their Alamo Bowl game last night and I am now rooting for TCU tomorrow to win its semi-final game.
I hope you have a happy and safe new year’s celebration. This weekend is an especially dangerous time to drive. Five Ways to Avoid Being in a Car Accident on New Year’s Eve
Contact us if you have any questions about a vehicle wreck you have been involved in.