Head on Crash Kills Little Women: Atlanta’s Ashley ‘Minnie’ Ross
As reported by people.com, Little Women: Atlanta’s Ashley ‘Minnie’ Ross is dead at the young age of 34 after a horrific head-on car crash in Georgia. South Fulton police told PEOPLE that Ms. Minnie’s vehicle crashed into another car that was driving in the opposite direction after she collided with the curb. Ross’ publicist shared that Ross was seriously injured when the car that she was in crashed into another vehicle near Old National Highway in Atlanta around 11 p.m. on Sunday, April 24. She died Monday night at a local area hospital. The other driver had minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
The family has asked for privacy as they mourn her loss.
When a head on crash turns deadly
One of the scariest types of car crashes a person can be involved in is a head-on accident. This type of car accident happens when the front-end of two vehicles collide, most commonly on a road with no median to stop motor vehicles from crossing lanes. According to data gathered by the Fatal Analysis Reporting System in 1999, 75 percent of head-on accidents occurred on un-divided two-lane roads. The reason that head-on collisions are so scary is that they are often fatal: statistics show that in 2005, head-on crashes in the U.S. were only two percent of all car accidents but accounted for 10.1 percent of all fatal crashes. While a head-on car crash often involves two vehicles, in some cases one vehicle smacks into a stationary object such as a wall, light pole, tree or fence.
Can people survive a head-on crash?
While head-on crashes often cause life-altering injuries, it is possible to survive a head-on collision. It is important to understand that the faster the vehicles were traveling at the time of impact, the lower the chances of survival. Researchers have discovered that it is unsafe for opposing traffic to drive over 43 miles per hour without a barrier because a head-on crash over that speed is almost always deadly.
Common causes of head-on collisions
- Rural roads, neighborhood roads and other roads that lack a median meant to stop vehicles from crossing over into the opposing lane
- Poor construction-zone redirecting
- Distracted driving
- Failure to maintain vehicle control, failing to pass or overtake another vehicle
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or when fatigued
- Poor weather conditions such as ice
- Breaking traffic rules or ignoring traffic signs and signals
- Being unfamiliar with the area can cause confusion and lead to a driver turning down a one-way road and crashing head-on into another vehicle
How can cities and towns reduce the rate of deadly head-on car accidents?
- Traffic signs and road surface markings to help guide drivers through curves.
- Separating opposing lanes of traffic with wide central reservation (or median). These barriers can be made of concrete or cable.
Seek the help of a car accident attorney
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
