Many people think of car crash injuries as those caused by impact. But impact trauma is only one kind of injury suffered by car crash victims in California. People are also often seriously burned in an accident, and this may happen in a variety of ways with a range of severity.

Common causes of burns in car crashes

Despite “cool” being in the name, engine coolant isn't always so cool. Also known as antifreeze, this liquid is essential to prevent damage to your car's engine caused by extreme temperatures. It's in the radiator of your car and sometimes gets close to its boiling point.

When a vehicle crashes at high enough speeds or with a great enough impact, these dangerously hot liquids can release in sudden and violent ways. It may spray the people in the car or others who are nearby.

People can also be burned by coming in direct contact with the engine itself. When the engine of a car is running, it's usually between 195 and 330 degrees Fahrenheit. And most people are well aware that gasoline and oil are highly flammable liquids that may easily catch fire or even explode.

Being burned by safety mechanisms

There's also the risk of chemical burns when you're in an auto accident. This is often caused by the mechanism that deploys your airbag, which uses sodium hydroxide. The aerosol release of these chemicals upon the bag's inflation has been known to burn people's skin.

Many people tend to think only of the impact injuries when imagining the violent collision of massive vehicles hitting each other at high speeds with people inside. But the risk of being hit with oil or coolant at extremely high temperatures in a car crash is a serious yet often overlooked danger.