What is an expanded traffic collision? It is a classification emergency services use when dispatching responders to an accident with a likelihood of serious injuries, several injured people, and potentially complex rescue requirements.
If you’ve been injured in a serious collision like this, our Texas car accident lawyer can help you identify your legal options.
Distinguishing Features of an Expanded Traffic Collision
When emergency dispatchers classify an accident as an expanded traffic collision, personnel know they must prepare for what is likely to be a very serious incident. This allows them to allocate appropriate resources and arrive prepared. Identifying features of an expanded traffic collision typically include:
Mass Casualties
Several vehicles are involved in the collision, or one or more vehicles contain multiple potentially injured passengers. Other situations that qualify for this designation include accidents with:
- Multiple injured pedestrians
- School buses or public transportation vehicles
- Multivehicle pileups
- Chain-reaction collisions
Because many potential patients in need of assistance are expected, the response must provide for this eventuality.
Complex Rescue Needs
It may be necessary to extract patients from badly damaged vehicles using hydraulic rescue tools to free them. Alternatively, one of the vehicles involved was carrying hazardous materials. A proper response requires interventions to keep the public safe and the deployment of hazmat teams.
Advanced Emergency Medical Response Required
There are indications that the accident has caused severe injuries. For example, it was a high-speed multi-vehicle crash or a rollover, with occupants ejected from the vehicles. This can mean that advanced medical response is urgently required. This can entail:
- Air ambulances
- Multiple ambulance units
- Trauma center notifications
- Triage procedures
Emergency operators will question callers to assess the severity of the incident and determine what resources are required. For example, they will attempt to determine whether there are life-threatening injuries, the approximate number of injured people, and how hazardous the accident scene was.
How Emergency Teams Respond to an Expanded Traffic Collision
When emergency personnel know they are responding to what is considered an expanded traffic collision, they work to get organized as quickly and comprehensively as possible. Apart from sending ambulances and other first responders to the scene, emergency dispatchers can prepare local hospitals for an influx of severely injured people.
Traffic control officers may consider closing the road and rerouting traffic away from the accident scene. They will work to minimize disruption to traffic flow, since addressing the accident and ensuring that motorists can safely use the route can take significant time.
What to Do if You Encounter an Expanded Traffic Collision
If you were fortunate enough to remain uninjured after being involved in an expanded traffic collision or are a witness to one, you can help by:
- Checking yourself and your passengers for injuries
- Calling emergency services
- Moving to a safe location if conditions allow
- Not attempting to move injured people who could have spinal injuries
- Keeping emergency lanes open
- Following the instructions given by emergency personnel
- Providing witness testimony without speculating on fault
There is a high risk of secondary collisions after an expanded traffic collision. Prioritize safety. You can document the scene and exchange details with other drivers, but not if doing so places yourself or others at risk.
Common Causes of Expanded Traffic Collisions
Human error is a common cause of car accidents. Depending on what ensues, an accident caused by driver error can be serious enough to be what is termed an expanded traffic collision. Typical errors include distracted or fatigued driving, DUI, speeding, and negligent or unsafe maneuvers in traffic.
Poor weather conditions can contribute to accidents. For example, low visibility or slippery road surfaces can cause serious collisions. Other unsafe conditions include faded road markings, uneven surfaces, and potholes.
Vehicle defects play a role. For example, brake failures, blowouts, or steering failures can cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle, leading to a serious accident involving multiple vehicles.
The Types of Vehicles Involved Can Amplify the Severity of an Accident
A multivehicle crash may qualify as an expanded traffic collision. For example, a serious bus accident can cause multiple casualties among its passengers. As an additional example, if a truck driver loses control of a heavy vehicle, its momentum might cause multiple collisions before it finally comes to a stop.
The presence of hazardous cargo increases the risk of multiple casualties requiring emergency assistance and the need for specialized response teams.
How an Expanded Traffic Collision Can Affect Your Injury Claim
After an expanded traffic collision, multiple parties may seek compensation, and several parties could share fault. Even after extensive investigations, liability can be disputed. These features can affect your case in several ways.
Several at-Fault Parties and Disputes Over Fault
Fault is a key question when you seek compensation. The allocation of fault can affect whether you are eligible for compensation and how much you can recover. Each potentially liable party may wish to present its own opinions and evidence to minimize its share of fault and liability.
Per Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, you cannot recover any compensation if you were more than 50% at fault. Additionally, Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.012 specifies that any compensation you may qualify for will be reduced in proportion to your degree of fault. As a result, fault is often a highly contested issue.
Large Insurance Claims and Multiple Insurers
Many injured parties with potentially large claims can lead to more extensive investigations and disputes over liability, damages, or coverage. With the potential for millions of dollars in settlements, parties may pay particular attention to their investigations, seeking ways to avoid or reduce payouts.
Good preparation and experienced representation can improve your chance of recovering compensation. Preparing a case, representing you in negotiations, and taking your case to court may be among the things a car accident lawyer does for you.
Contact Us to Gain Our Perspective on Your Case and Your Options
At The Texas Law Dog, we understand what an expanded traffic collision means for your accident case. Although this emergency services designation does not affect your legal standing or determine liability, it can indicate a potentially complex situation.
An experienced lawyer can advise you on your position and seek compensation on your behalf. Early intervention may benefit you. Contact us for a free consultation.
