IN last years Increasingly, accidents are noted, the cause of which was the loss of control and the exit into the oncoming lane of one of the vehicles involved in the accident. This can happen either as a result of excessive driver fatigue or because of an incorrect estimate of the distance required to successfully complete the overtaking. What to do in situations where a vehicle appears in your lane? How to prevent a frontal collision?
Overtaking
According to the information provided by the traffic police service, the vast majority of head-on collisions on the highway arise as a result of the excessive confidence of one of the drivers in the ability to quickly overtake a vehicle moving slowly in front. In this case, the driver incorrectly estimates the speed of a moving vehicle. oncoming lane car, the speed of passing transport, the optical effects that occur in conditions insufficient visibility(fog), road conditions. All this leads to dire consequences. However, it is possible to avoid an accident if the actions of the person sitting behind the wheel of the second car turn out to be quite competent.
Having noticed a car moving towards you, you need to quickly assess its speed and the possibility of successfully completing overtaking. When in doubt, it is recommended to slow down, thereby increasing the distance available to the oncoming car to complete the maneuver. Such actions, with all their simplicity, often help to avoid an accident.
In addition, it will not be superfluous to have a light warning for the driver of a car that has left for overtaking, about the presence of other vehicles in its oncoming lane. Often, especially at dusk, the car visually merges with the asphalt, becoming almost invisible. It takes a few seconds to turn on high beam which will be hard to miss.
In cases where the distance to the oncoming vehicle is already critically small, and braking is not able to provide the required distance, the best solution is to drive to the side of the road. At the same time, it is important to take into account the fact that the driver of the violating car, having noticed oncoming traffic, can repeat its maneuver. Then the collision will happen already on the side of the road. In order to avoid such a development of events, despite the critical lack of time, it is necessary to turn on the right turn signal. In this way, you will be able to coordinate your actions with the actions of an oncoming car. If the turn signal turns on the offender, you should not pull over to the side of the road. IN this case it will be enough to continue braking, reducing the speed as much as possible.
Dream of an oncoming car driver
A somewhat different situation arises in cases where the driver of an oncoming car falls asleep due to overwork. This often happens to drivers. heavy trucks- fur. You can understand that the driver is sleeping by the dynamics of the acceleration of the car in the oncoming lane, as well as by its trajectory. At the same time, the vehicle does not tend to quickly leave the “oncoming lane”, it can move unevenly, wag along the road.
With such a development of events, experts recommend trying to wake the driver by giving sound and light signals. However, this should not last long. If the car continues to move in the oncoming lane, you need to pull to the side of the road as quickly as possible, stop the car completely and leave it. All this should be done with a margin of time, to the moment when the car with the sleeping driver has not yet approached the critical distance.
It is not recommended to try to disperse with an uncontrolled truck on the right side by driving along its lane. This option is possible in extreme situations when it is no longer possible to stop, but there is a high risk that the driver will wake up at the moment when your vehicle is in his “dead” zone on the right. At the same time, the awakened person will try to return to his lane in a short time, pushing or crushing the car located there.
Loss of control
Perhaps the most dangerous situation of those considered in this article is the loss of control by an oncoming car (skid, steering lock), accompanied by a drive into the oncoming lane. The danger lies in the fact that the oncoming driver is not able to take any action to prevent an accident. It all depends on the literacy and timeliness of the measures taken by the second driver.
IN similar situation it is necessary to quickly assess the approximate trajectory of the car that has lost control. Further actions are directly dependent on it.
If the vehicle in a skid enters the oncoming lane far enough ahead, there is no need to use emergency methods of braking and avoiding the impact. It is enough to simply slow down, and in some cases stop your car completely. As a rule, skidding does not continue for a large section of the road. Emergency vehicles either regain control or move off the road.
In cases where an oncoming car began to skid right at you, braking is no longer able to save the situation. Much more benefit will bring sharp acceleration, which allows you to get out of the zone of a possible impact, while leaving the driver who lost control of the space for maneuver.
Situations when a car drives into an oncoming lane in the immediate vicinity of you require the quickest possible assessment of the situation, a competent reaction. Perhaps the only possible action here is a sharp departure from the blow to the right, to the side of the road. However, there is a risk of skidding when the right wheels of the car are already on the ground, and the left ones are still on the pavement.
If a detour is not possible, avoiding a head-on collision is carried out by driving into a ditch (ditch). In this case, the exit, in order to avoid capsizing, is carried out at the most obtuse angle.
One of the worst road traffic accidents is a head-on collision. At the same time, even if both vehicles were moving at a fairly moderate speed, the consequences can still be catastrophic, since the speed of both vehicles in a head-on collision is summed up. That is, if the cars were moving at a speed of 50 km/h each, the collision will cause the same consequences as if the car crashed into a wall at a speed of 100 km/h. Based numerous studies, such a blow will have the most unfortunate consequences for the driver and passengers.
After a collision and an instantaneous stop vehicle, the driver with passengers continue to move forward by inertia. That is why they get seriously injured. The most common is hitting the head on the glass. Therefore, for the driver, the ability to avoid a head-on collision is an extremely important skill. In some cases, when it is impossible to avoid a traffic accident completely, it makes sense to prefer a collision "on a tangent" or "contact" with a car moving in passing direction.
The first thing to do in case of a head-on collision
As practice shows, the lower the vehicle speed before a head-on collision, the less serious consequences it entails. Therefore, at the slightest threat of a collision, the first thing the driver must do is to reduce the speed of his car as much as possible. Today, many cars are equipped with the most advanced systems, which, in automatic mode monitor traffic situation. In the event of a dangerous approach or its threat, it will give the driver an appropriate signal.
In addition, a number of systems, for example, CMBS, are able to independently activate the system emergency braking. But in their absence, monitoring the situation on the road becomes the responsibility of the driver. In addition to compliance speed limit, you should be aware that with the threat of a head-on collision, it is much preferable to be in roadside bushes or a ditch than to endanger your own life, and the car to serious destruction. Naturally, you should not neglect the use of seat belts, since the airbag is designed only for the fastened driver.
One of important points that allow you to get away from a frontal collision is an experience. But it is absolutely not necessary to spend many years behind the wheel, it is enough to take special courses in counter-emergency or extreme driving. Such classes last a maximum of 6 days, and give the driver not only a sufficient set of skills, but also the much-needed "muscle memory" that allows you to act almost automatically (reflexively) in an extreme situation. If it is impossible to undergo special training, you can conduct independent classes on deserted sites. Some good advice how to avoid a head-on collision can be seen in the video:
Proper fit in the car and the 2-second rule
Correct fit in the vehicle begins with the adjustment of the position of the seat. When it normal position the driver can switch on any speed and fully depress any pedal. In addition, before starting to move, it is necessary to adjust the position of the mirrors "for yourself" - they should provide maximum possible review. In no case should you start driving with frozen windows that interfere with a normal view.
The two second rule has been around for a long time. Its basic principle is to measure the distance to the nearest car, not in its length or meters, but in seconds. To implement this rule in practice, you should choose a landmark for the car moving in front, and note the time of its passage. If you manage to pass the selected distance faster than 2 seconds, it will need to be increased. It is worth knowing that when moving along slippery road distance is multiplied.
In practice, this makes it possible to adequately assess the impending danger and take appropriate measures in time to prevent it. The so-called reaction distance for a driver moving at a speed of 60 km / h is about 20 meters - this is the distance the car has time to drive before the driver has time to apply the brakes. To this is added braking distances. In general, the distance should be such that the car has time to slow down and make a maneuver, moving away from a head-on collision.
Simple rules to help avoid a head-on collision
Quite often, a head-on collision is the result of wrong overtaking before committing which the driver could not adequately assess the situation on the road. To answer the question of how to avoid a head-on collision when overtaking, it makes sense to list simple rules:
- the timely inclusion of the turn signal will warn all participants about the maneuver;
- when shifting just one meter to the left, visibility forward should be at least 100 meters;
- care should be taken to reserve space for acceleration so that the time spent in the oncoming lane is minimal;
- before the maneuver, you should select the gear that will allow you to instantly pick up speed;
- the appearance of a car on the “oncoming lane” is a reason to refuse overtaking and return to your lane.
Skills to help prevent a head-on collision
In addition to the banal observance of the simplest rules and culture on the road (give a turn signal, avoid abrupt maneuvers), it is necessary to exercise maximum concentration and not be distracted by other things. It is unacceptable to eat, drink, or pick up things that have fallen to the floor while driving. As well as changing the radio station or talking on the phone - all this significantly distracts from the road.
Important! At a speed of 100 km / h in just one second, the car travels 30 meters, and even a slight weakening of the driver's attention is enough to drive into the oncoming lane and make a head-on collision.
Sufficient attention must be paid to the availability of free space around the vehicle. In this case, the distance must be selected in accordance with the type of vehicle in front. So, it is better to stay away from the motorcycle, because it has less braking distance. It is also worth driving further away from the truck, as it significantly obstructs the view, and a sudden danger can be noticed too late, when a head-on / other collision is already inevitable.
At the moment immediately preceding the frontal collision, the driver must place both forearms on the steering wheel, holding it firmly with the hands. They should be placed at top point steering wheels close together.In this case, even if there is a sharp movement of the driver's head forward, the face and head will not hit the car part, but the softer hands and forearms. The resulting injuries, of course, will not be so severe. The driver must tilt his head and neck forward, and pull the seat belt with his torso, as it is weak tensioned belt at the time of the collision, it can additionally injure the chest or abdominal cavity. Seat belts must be correctly fitted to the size of the person's torso. The passenger sitting next to the driver must also pull the seat belt as much as possible with his body, rest with his half-bent hands on dashboard and tilt forward possibly lower head and neck.
What causes severe road accidents? Can a tragic collision be avoided? Here are some tips from the pros.
Any country road is dangerous- in particular, gradual accustomed to speed.
If you drive for a long time on a lightly loaded road, relaxation comes from monotonous driving - and the reaction time increases significantly. If the average time of a complex reaction - in a situation where you need to make an immediate decision - is 1.5 seconds, then with prolonged relaxed driving it will increase to 4 seconds.
Maneuvering
If the driver who starts a maneuver does not warn about it in advance, he provokes other participants into sudden movements, the expert explains. - And even if, for example, he turned on the “turn signal” in advance, then the driver of only one car following directly behind him sees his signals. She abruptly goes to the side - and the third car sees an unexpected obstacle in front of it.
Therefore, according to experts, it is necessary to always pay attention to the signs - and be especially careful before road crossing or adjoining a secondary. Moreover, try to see the situation on the road not only through your windshield, but through the glass of the car in front. Another thing is if your car is driving behind an SUV, truck, wagon - it is very important to keep as much distance as possible. The actions of this driver are absolutely unpredictable for us - he sees an obstacle that is invisible to us, and brakes sharply.
Unexpected obstacle in the lane
On the road, simple, potentially dangerous, extreme and emergency situations. That is, in the latter case, we do not discuss how to avoid accidents, is, unfortunately, inevitable. And most importantly - choose the least of many evils. For example, if we compare head-on collision And exit to the ditch, then the latter is safer.
Regarding the opinion that "better" to crash into ahead parked car than fly into the opposite direction.
If the turning car has its wheels already turned to the left - and most drivers turn with their wheels turned - the impact will throw it to the left. oncoming lane. That is - the same difficult thing will happen car accident, but with other participants, - says the expert.
And he remembers how, as a result of such accidents Russian actor Yuri Stepanov died two years ago. A Mazda crashed into a Zhiguli standing at a traffic light, in which he was traveling as a passenger, at speed. From the impact, the VAZ was thrown into the oncoming lane, where the car collided with another car.
Is it worth turning right?
The driver, according to professionals, must constantly scan the situation around the car, understand every second what is happening to the right / left, and pre-evaluate the potential probability maneuver. Because when he suddenly finds an obstacle in the lane, he may not have time to look in the mirrors.
Suppose everyone is lucky - there are no cars on the right. The car will go around the obstacle, the person behind the wheel will get off with a slight fright. If someone is moving on the right, the driver, who has sharply turned in his direction, will push this car off the track, it fly into a ditch, possibly tip over. People will get hurt again. And God forbid this happens in the city, and the car that was driving along the way will be thrown to a stop from the impact public transport?..
Brake or not?
The expert advises: theoretically, if there is at least some possibility, you need to slow down.
On the other hand, if the speed is very high, hard braking can also lead to backfire. For example, in extreme driving courses, they work out how to get out of a skid at a speed of 60 km / h - that is, when hard braking even on the "urban" speed brings the car! At 70 km/h everything goes even faster and the car is even more difficult to control. The driver who does not know how to get out of extreme situations on the road, nothing can be done with it, the car becomes uncontrollable.
If a car takes off head-on
According to the expert, it is unrealistic to predict what a driver will do when an oncoming car enters his lane.
Unfortunately, there are situations when the driver does not have time to do something - he does not have time to think. If an oncoming car swept into your lane in a split second, there is no chance of avoiding a collision. If you see this in advance, then there is time for maneuvers, but even here you can make a mistake. For example, a driver is driving and sees that a car is leaving the oncoming lane in his lane. He beeps, flashes - the car is still going towards. To avoid a collision, our driver decides to turn left - to a free (!) oncoming lane. At this moment, the driver of an oncoming car, who has fallen asleep at the wheel, wakes up, realizes that he on the opposite side, and turns back into its lane. There is a head-on collision.
Automobile
Rules traffic tell us: in case of danger, the driver must take speed reduction measures up to a complete stop of the car. So slow down or maneuver?
In a passing collision when moving forward, the driver and passengers are saved by airbags and a seat belt, - says the specialist. - This is the blow that is predicted by manufacturers, calculated when designing a car. That is, all security systems are "sharpened" precisely under frontal collision with an obstacle. Hood, engine compartment- This is the crushed part of the car that dampens the impact. Motor in modern machines with such an impact, it should structurally go down, and not into the cabin. The belt holds the driver, the airbag "accepts" it.
If we start maneuvering, most likely a side impact will occur.
What protects the driver in this case? Tin door. All. Side airbags, if present, are only effective for minor impacts. Compare the "nose" of the car, which should "rescue" in a collision with a frontal obstacle, and a tin that will take a hit in the side, the expert advises. Even in motorsport, according to him, people most often die - on rally frame machines! - from side impacts.
In the early days of vehicular traffic, a head-on collision between a vehicle and another vehicle, whether moving or stationary, or a static obstacle was unconditionally main reason accidents resulting in serious injury or death. Nowadays, the speed of cars, their mass and number on the roads have increased so much that side collisions, and rear impacts, and so on, are no less dangerous. However, a head-on collision remains the situation that is deservedly feared the most by road users.
An obvious answer to an obvious question
It would seem that there is no need to explain why a head-on collision is of particular danger to road users, that is, the driver and passengers in the car. However, such questions often arise, so it is necessary to formulate obvious, but no less true answers. Head-on collision it is dangerous because it combines all the main damaging factors of traffic accidents: a dynamic impact caused by an almost instantaneous stop of the car; getting injured from debris and parts of vehicles; clamping of the injured by parts of vehicles and the syndrome of prolonged compression that occurs with a long stay in such a position; impact on people high temperature and escaping gases in the event of a fire as a result of an accident.
So that is why during crash tests of cars, that is, during ongoing experiments that test cars for safety in the event of emergencies, the main test is just a head-on collision. The most commonly used option is the collision of a test vehicle with a fixed concrete wall, which simulates such a collision in real life with buildings, poles, trees and so on. In addition, in recent years, in order to obtain more accurate and detailed data on the behavior of car safety systems, a collision of two cars is increasingly reproduced, one of which can be stationary or also move at a certain speed. It should not be forgotten that the main passive safety cars are aimed at protecting the driver and passengers, primarily from a head-on collision. These are seat belts, which reduce the risk of death in a head-on collision by 2-2.3 times, and about airbags.
Physics theoretical and practical
There is an interesting theoretical controversy associated with the head-on collision, which has become especially popular in recent years thanks to the spread on the Internet. It addresses the question of whether the speeds of moving vehicles add up in a head-on collision. That is, whether a head-on collision between two cars traveling at 70 kilometers per hour is equivalent to a car colliding with a stationary wall at a speed of 140 kilometers per hour. In fact, at first glance, adding the speeds of two cars is a pretty logical conclusion. But in reality, both calculations and experiments have shown that, with other equal and strict parameters, in a head-on collision of two cars at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour, each car will be affected by the same amount of kinetic energy as in a collision with a non-deformable wall at the same speed. . The fact is that in a collision, the energy is extinguished due to the deformation of the car body, that is, the resistance force comes into play. And in the case of two moving cars, this process is multiplied by two, which ultimately gives the same head-on collision characteristics as in the case of a stationary object.
But this is, as it were, the theoretical physics of a head-on collision. The practical side of the problem is of primary importance in how to minimize injuries to people in the car, when it becomes clear that a head-on collision can no longer be avoided. In this case, there are few tips, but they can save a life. Main advice it is, of course, to comply with the rules of the road in the part that relate to the use of seat belts - for the driver and passenger on front seat it is a matter of life and death. In addition, the airbags in a collision only work when the seat belts are fastened. Otherwise, the advice is simple: if possible, try to move the car so that the blow falls on a tangent. In addition, the driver must fix his hands on the steering wheel and hide his face in them - which is important to prevent damage to the eyes and face in general. At the passenger's back seat the task is different - it is necessary to reduce the area of \u200b\u200bthe body, which can be exposed to fragments and parts of the vehicle. To do this, lie on the seat sideways and cover your face with your hands.
Alexander Babitsky
