TRANSPORTA

TION
INJURIES
Injuries may be
sustained to-
1. Pedestrian
2. Cyclist/motorcyclist
3. Vehicle occupant.
PEDESTRIAN
INJURIES:
Waddles Trial:
1. Primary Impact Injuries
2. Secondary Impact Injuries
3. Secondary Injuries
Primary Impact Injuries:

These are the injuries caused by

vehicle when it first struck or hit
the person

-Pattern of the vehicle.

Common parts of vehicle
which may struck or hit a
person:
1. Bumper
2. Wing
3. Grill
4. Headlight
5. Fender
6. Radiator
7. Door handle.
Injuries depend on:
1. Frontal or side Impact
2. Victim standing/walking/lying
down.
Bumper Fracture:
Frontal Impact Injuries to legs Fracture
of tibia.

- Most common trauma (85%).

- Tibia is fractured in wedge shaped manner.
- If leg weight bearing- # is oblique.
- If leg lifted - # is transverse.
- If both legs injured Levels of injuries
indicate victims position.
- Due to suspensions dipping of front part
of car injuries at lower levels.
Secondary Impact Injuries:
After hitting vehicle, two possibilities

1. Thrown forward
2. Scooped up

If scooped up
secondary impact injuries are
resulted from the impact of body of
a person and the vehicle for a
second time.
Secondary Impact Injuries:
If scooped up Victim may hit bonnet,
windshield or A frame.
Bonnet very less injuries.
Windshield or A frame Head Injury.
If speed of vehicle is very high
Victim is thrown on roof fall behind
car.
Secondary Injuries:
If thrown forward Victim falls on
ground.
- Most common, head injury.
- May be run over by same or other
vehicle.
Other scenarios:
HMV Injuries are at higher level
Children Chest/Abdomen/Head injury
instead
of leg injury.
Children Easily flung in air.
Run-Over:
- Avulsion laceration.
- Crush Injuries.
- Patterned Injuries.
Reconstruction:
- Patterned Injuries.
- Trace evidences.
Injuries to
Occupants of
Vehicle:
Dynamics of vehicular Injury:
1. Tissue injury is caused by change of
rate of
movement.
2. Direction of impact also important.
3. Force applied per unit area.
4. Impacts
a) Frontal up to 80%
b) Rear 6%
c) Sideswipes 7%
d) Rollovers 7%
Dynamics of vehicular
Injury:
5. Frontal Impact
-No immediate stoppage.
- Concertina effect.
6. G Forces
G = CV2/D
G Force, V Velocity, D
Stoppage distance.
Types of vehicles:
1. LMV More injuries
2. HMV Less injuries
The occupant of car can
be
divided as:

1. Driver
2. Front seat passenger
3. Rear seat passengers
Injuries to the Driver:
A] Frontal Impact:
- Sudden deceleration.
1) Impact
Victim slides forward
Legs hit fascia, parcel/shelf area
Chest & abdomen hit steering wheel

Head goes forwards to wind shield

Flexion of spine
Victim thrown outside.
Injuries to the Driver:
A] Frontal Impact:
2) Impact Intrusion of parts
A frame Head,
Steering wheel Chest, abdomen
Pedal, floor Legs.

3) Impact side door opens Victim

ejected.
B] Rear Impact:
- Sudden acceleration.
- Sudden hyperextension followed by
hyperflexion of neck (Whiplash
effect)
C] Side Impact:
- Intrusion of door.
Injuries sustained by Driver:
1. Impact against fascia Injuries to legs, #
tibia, knee.
2. Impact from floor - # foot, pelvic #
3. Steering wheel impact Liver, spleen, lung
- Transmitted force Hands Upper limb
injuries.
4. Wind screen Shattered glass Dicing
injuries or sparrow feet marks.
5. Corner pillar Head injury
6. Whiplash atlanto-occipital dislocation.
7. Ruptured aorta
8. Heart
9. Lungs
10 Ruptured liver
Front seat Passenger
Injuries:
- No steering wheel injuries.
- Chances of hitting windscreen more.
- Less alert.
Rear seat occupants
injuries:
- Sudden deceleration hit back
of front seat
- Intrusion of parts.
Seat belts:
- Three point attachment belts.
- Inertia reel type.
- Functions of seat belt-
1. Prevents head injury by restraining
occupant.
2. Prevents side door ejection.
3. Increases deceleration time &
distance by
stretching.
4. Spreading force.
500 cm2
Seat belt Injuries:
- Benefits more than cost.
- Pregnant woman & children
Injuries to Motor cyclists:
Injuries sustained by
motorcyclist are much more
serious than car travelers
because:

1. Inherent instability of two-

wheeler
2. Unprotected and lack of
protective gear
3. Rash and negligent driving
Two parts of the body
commonly injured:
1. Head
2. Legs
a) Head Injury:
- Most common & fatal injury.
1. Fall on road surface injury to lateral part
with
fracture of temporo-
parietal bone
2. Fall on side with side impact to head basal
skull fractures especially hinge type (also
called as
motorcyclist fracture)
3. Impact on face fracture of facial skeleton.
4. Impact on forehead sagittal fracture of base
of skull.
5. Impact on chin mandibular fracture.
6. Impact on crown of head ring fracture
b) Leg injuries:
- Usually non fatal.
- 1. Due to impact with road.
2. Trapped in motorcycle frame
c) Thoracic Injuries:
- Rib fractures
d) Tail-gating:
- motorcyclist drives his two-
wheeler into the back of a truck or
some other heavy
vehicle.
Injuries to pedal cyclists:
- Less speed, so less injuries.
- Other than primary impact other
injuries
usually non fatal.
- Accidental strangulation can
occur.