What Are The Typical Injuries Sustained By The Victim of A Car Accident?

A motor vehicle can get hit at almost any point. Those inside can get jostled around, and suffer damage to almost any body part. Some body parts are more vulnerable than others.

Factors that affect the extent of the driver or passenger’s reaction to a particular impact

Passenger failed to use protective equipment, such as a seat belt. Sometimes the impacted vehicle lacked a useful device, such as an air bag. The location of the impact can determine the severity of any injuries. A rear end impact can cause a driver or passenger to suffer a traumatic brain injury.

The position of the victim can prove significant. Was a passenger in the front seat turned around, and speaking with someone in the back seat? Were there more than 3 people in the back seat?

The speed and weight of the responsible vehicle: Those factors can increase the amount of damage that is caused by a given accident.

Two types of injuries

Impact: caused by the force with which a vehicle collides with a given driver’s vehicle. Often associated with soft tissue injuries, but an impact can also cause the movement of fluid and tissue inside of the skull. That is called a closed head injury or a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Penetrating: That is when some part of the vehicle penetrates a section of the driver or passenger’s body. A penetrating injury can cause a great deal of bleeding.

Injuries that relate to the position of a vehicle’s occupants

Drivers can suffer chest injuries. Some drivers sustain a broken rib. Their chest cavity hits the steering wheel. In the past, many passengers have suffered damage to an arm or a leg. That reflects the movement of the limbs following a side impact. Some present-day vehicles have side air bags.

Another injury that can arise in a vehicle with a passenger in the front seat is one that affects the kneecap. A passenger in the front seat could have his or her knee fly into the dashboard, at the time of a rear impact.

Young people should be encouraged to wear shoulder strap. That helps to keep their head from hitting some object at the time of a rear impact. Yet, if a car was moving fast enough, the force created by an impact could send a passenger’s head towards the car’s roof.

The symptoms created by such a traumatic event can be mild enough to get overlooked. For instance, frequently headaches might be viewed as evidence of tension or lack of sleep. That is why it pays to take a child with a possible head injury to the office of a pediatric neurologist.