7 Common Car Accident Injuries: Symptoms and When to Get Help
Common car accident injuries include whiplash, concussion, broken bones, and back injuries. A crash can also cause chest injuries, internal bleeding, and deep cuts. Some symptoms start right away, while others appear hours or days later. After a crash, check for pain, bleeding, breathing trouble, or unusual behaviour.
One crash may hurt several body areas at the same time.
Get emergency help for these signs after a crash
Call emergency services for heavy bleeding, seizures, breathing trouble, or difficulty waking. New weakness, numbness, or difficulty walking also needs urgent help.
- Heavy bleeding keeps flowing through clean cloth or gauze.
- Breathing becomes hard, or the lips start turning blue.
- Repeated vomiting starts after a head injury or hard hit.
- A seizure starts after a hard hit or jolt.
- New weakness, numbness, or difficulty walking begins.
- Severe chest or belly pain starts after the crash.
- The person becomes very sleepy or hard to wake.
A person can have a serious injury without a large wound. Head injuries and internal bleeding may cause few early signs.
1. Whiplash and neck injuries
Whiplash happens when the neck moves backward and forward very quickly. Rear-end crashes are a common cause of whiplash.
Whiplash symptoms can include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, or shoulder pain. Tingling or numbness can also affect the arms. See a doctor if neck pain or stiffness starts after the crash.
2. Concussion and head injuries
A concussion can happen after a hard hit or body jolt. A concussion may happen without a cut, bump, or visible head wound. Symptoms may start immediately or appear hours or days later.
Watch for headache, dizziness, nausea, or memory problems after a hard hit. Trouble focusing, sleep changes, or light sensitivity may also appear. See a doctor when any concussion symptom appears after the crash.
3. Back and spine injuries
A crash may hurt the back, spine, or nearby nerves. After a crash, check for numbness, tingling, weakness, or trouble walking.
Hold the person still if the spine may be injured. Move the person only when fire or another danger threatens life. Call emergency services and wait for emergency workers to arrive.
4. Broken bones
A crash may break bones in arms, legs, ribs, or hips. A broken bone may cause pain, swelling, bruising, or a bent limb.
A limb may look bent, twisted, or out of place. Moving the injured area may cause strong pain. Hold the injured area still until medical help arrives.
Never try to straighten a broken bone yourself. Leave its position unchanged until medical workers arrive.
5. Chest and rib injuries
A hard crash may bruise or injure the chest and ribs. The chest may hit the belt, door, steering wheel, or dashboard.
Rib pain may become worse during breathing, coughing, or movement. Breathing trouble after a chest injury needs urgent medical help. Coughing blood or severe chest pain also needs urgent help.
6. Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding happens when blood collects inside the body after injury. The skin may look normal while serious bleeding continues inside.
Internal bleeding may cause dizziness, weakness, fainting, or belly pain. Belly swelling or chest pain can also appear after a crash. Blood in vomit, urine, or bowel movements needs emergency medical help.
7. Cuts, scrapes, and deep wounds
Broken glass, metal, or loose objects may cut skin during crashes. Small scrapes may need washing, drying, and a clean dressing.
For heavy bleeding, press firmly on the wound with clean cloth or gauze. Add more cloth when blood comes through the first layer. Leave any large object stuck inside the wound in place.
Deep cuts, numbness, or bleeding that continues need medical help.
Which car accident symptoms can appear later?
Some symptoms start hours or days after the crash. Whiplash pain and stiffness may begin within days after a crash. Concussion symptoms can also appear hours or days later.
See a doctor if new headache, dizziness, nausea, or neck pain appears. New belly pain, fainting, weakness, or visible bleeding also needs medical help.
| New symptom | One injury a doctor may check for |
|---|---|
| Neck pain or stiffness | Whiplash or another neck injury |
| Headache, dizziness, or nausea | Concussion |
| Weakness, fainting, or belly pain | Internal bleeding |
A serious injury may happen without visible bruising. Watch how the person moves, breathes, speaks, and responds afterward. Get medical help when new pain, weakness, or dizziness starts later.
What should parents watch after a child is in a crash?
Young children may struggle to describe headache, dizziness, or memory problems. Watch behaviour, eating, sleep, balance, and interest in play.
A baby or toddler may cry more and become hard to comfort. Vomiting, poor balance, unusual behaviour, or sleep changes may follow concussion. Get emergency help if a baby stops nursing or eating after head injury.
Call emergency services for seizures, repeated vomiting, weakness, or difficulty waking. Call too if a child cannot answer or react normally.
Can you use the same car seat after a crash?
A child car seat may need replacement after a crash. Replace the seat after a moderate or severe crash.
After a minor crash, check whether the car seat can be used again. A crash counts as minor only when all five conditions below apply.
- The vehicle can drive away from the crash scene.
- The door nearest the child seat has no damage.
- Nobody inside the vehicle was injured in the crash.
- No airbag opened during the crash.
- The child seat has no damage you can see.
All five conditions must apply before the crash counts as minor. Follow the car seat maker instructions before using the seat again.
What should you do before medical help arrives?
First, check for fire, traffic, or another immediate danger. Call emergency services when anyone has serious injuries or warning signs.
- Press firmly on a bleeding wound with clean cloth or gauze.
- Add more cloth when blood comes through the first layer.
- Hold the person still if the spine may be injured.
- Leave any large object stuck inside the wound in place.
- Watch breathing and see if the person answers you.
If your teen was driving, read what to do after a teen car accident.
What details should you tell the doctor?
Tell the doctor where the person sat inside the vehicle. Mention where the body hit the seat, door, dashboard, or airbag.
Tell the doctor if the person passed out, vomited, or acted strangely. Also mention when each symptom started after the crash. These details help the doctor choose which injuries need checking first.
How can families lower injury risk on future trips?
Using the right car seat, booster seat, or seat belt lowers injury risk. Children need the right seat or belt for their age and size. Child passenger safety information can help parents choose the right seat type.
Before longer drives, review road trip safety with children. When replacing a car, compare family vehicle safety features before buying.
What families should remember after a crash
Watch breathing, movement, pain, bleeding, and how well the person responds. Seek emergency help for severe bleeding, seizures, breathing trouble, or difficulty waking.
