Omaha, NE (September 1, 2026) — A woman in her 30s was taken to the hospital after a two-car wreck at 96th and L Street in Omaha, Douglas County, according to fire officials. The call came in around 10:04 p.m. on Sunday, August 30.
The woman was the driver of one of the vehicles and was wearing a seatbelt at the time, fire officials said. She suffered a broken arm as a result.
She was taken to Bergan Mercy for treatment. No further details, including the other vehicle involved, have been released. The cause of the wreck was not immediately known.
We hope she makes a full recovery.
Why Arm and Wrist Fractures Are Common Even With a Seatbelt On?
Arm and wrist injuries are common in car crashes even when a driver is properly wearing a seatbelt, largely because of instinct. In the split second before a hard hit, many drivers brace by gripping the steering wheel tightly or bracing an arm against the dashboard, which can send a significant amount of force directly into the bones of the arm or wrist.
Airbag deployment can also play a role, even though it’s overwhelmingly protective in a crash overall. If a driver’s hands are positioned on the wheel at the moment an airbag deploys, the sudden force of that deployment can add extra stress to the wrists or forearms, occasionally contributing to a fracture that wouldn’t have happened from the main hit alone.
Compared to the more serious injuries a seatbelt and airbag are primarily designed to prevent, an arm or wrist fracture is generally considered a manageable outcome. Most fractures from this type of hit heal well with standard treatment, and doctors typically view them as a reasonable tradeoff against the head, chest, and spinal injuries that restraints are built to reduce.
