Car Accident Reference and Atlanta Firm Directory

Head-on collisions

Last updated . Sources checked

Contents
  1. Road position and exceptions
  2. Configuration and cause
  3. Records beyond the collision label
  4. Related entries
  5. References

A head-on collision is a front-to-front collision involving vehicles traveling in opposing directions. The Georgia crash manual uses manner-of-collision classifications to describe vehicle contact. That classification should not be confused with a finding about why a vehicle entered an opposing path.[1]

Road position and exceptions

Georgia generally requires vehicles to use the right half of the roadway. The statute includes exceptions, including permitted passing and situations involving an obstruction. Applying the rule requires identifying the roadway layout and the maneuver, rather than assuming that any vehicle left of the center line was necessarily acting unlawfully.[2]

Configuration and cause

A collision diagram can help distinguish opposing travel from a turning movement. The reporting classification describes the contact between vehicles, while the road-position rule addresses driving conduct. Those are related questions, but they serve different purposes and should be discussed separately when reading a crash account.[1][2]

Records beyond the collision label

DPS accepts requests for photographs or other records of crashes it investigated. A requester can identify the incident by its date and location and supply the report number if known. Such material can supplement a written collision classification. The request should specify what is sought rather than assume that ordering the crash report also orders every photograph.[3]

References

  1. ab Georgia crash manual: collision details. Georgia Department of Transportation. https://crashmanual.dot.ga.gov/SectionContent/CollisionDetails. official. Checked . Source record
  2. ab O.C.G.A. 40-6-40: driving on the right. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-40/chapter-6/article-3/section-40-6-40/. independent. Checked . Source record
  3. ^ How to submit an open records request. Georgia Department of Public Safety. https://dps.georgia.gov/ask-us/how-do-i-submit-open-records-request. official. Checked . Source record