From whiplash injuries to fractures and sprains, motor vehicle accidents can result in significant damage to drivers and passengers 1. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle collisions in 2013 accounted for over 2 million injuries and more than 32,000 deaths annually in the United States 2. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center reported that the most common cause of spinal cord injuries in the US between the years of 2010 and 2013 was motor vehicle accidents, accounting for nearly 40% of these injuries 3,4. Furthermore, many car crash victims end up with lasting pain or discomfort, requiring treatment even after the initial injuries have healed.
Car accidents can affect many types of people on the road, but injuries and deaths tend to most frequently occur with certain types of vehicles than others. 35% of people killed and injured in vehicles tend to be occupants of passenger cars, 27% occupy light trucks, 20% are pedestrians or cyclists, 14% are motorcyclists, and 4% occupy large trucks or buses 5.
When drivers, passengers and pedestrians are involved in collisions, they can sustain many different types of injuries. However, these injuries are broadly organized into two different categories,: impact injuries and penetrating injuries. An example of an impact injury is when a passenger is thrown against the inside of the car. A penetrating injury is when the skin is pierced, leading to an open wound. Both types of injuries can be severe 5.
More specifically, the types of injuries that are commonly sustained in motor vehicle accidents include head and back injuries (including traumatic brain injuries, concussions, spinal cord injuries, and facial injuries), neck and chest injuries (including broken or bruised ribs, whiplash, or a heart attack), soft tissue injuries (including bruising, sprains, and strains), and arm and leg injuries (including broken bones, dislocated joints, or loss of limbs). Less frequent injuries include severe penetrating injuries in which a foreign object punctures the body. Penetrating injuries are serious and require transport to a hospital for further assessment.
Organ damage can occur due to either a puncture wound or blunt force trauma. Organs that are frequently affected include the spleen, liver and small intestine, although any organ can be susceptible. Organ damage can cause internal hemorrhage, which can lead to blood clots days or even weeks later.
Not all damage is physical, however, and accidents can also incur psychological trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a risk following a car accident and can affect anyone at any time.
Knowing what to look out for and when to visit the emergency room following a motor vehicle accident can make the difference between a minor injury and a fatality. Some car accident injuries are evident immediately following an accident while others may take days or weeks to manifest. Some are treatable using a first aid kit while others require specialized care in a hospital. It is just as important for individuals as it is for clinicians to stay informed about the most common types of motor vehicle accident injuries, and which cases warrant emergency room treatment 6. Some injuries will also require long-term care. Patients may require physical therapy as part of recovering from a musculoskeletal injury. Patients may also need treatment for continuing pain, for which PM&R or physiatry services are appropriate.
References
1. Motor Vehicle Collisions – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441955/. (Accessed: 2nd September 2023)
2. Borgialli, D. A. et al. Association between the seat belt sign and intra-abdominal injuries in children with blunt torso trauma in motor vehicle collisions. Acad. Emerg. Med. 21, 1240–1248 (2014). DOI: 10.1111/acem.12506
3. Roden-Foreman, J. W., Foreman, M. L., Funk, G. A. & Powers, M. B. Driver see, driver crash: Associations between televised stock car races’ audience size and the incidence of speed-related motor vehicle collisions in the United States. Proc. (Bayl. Univ. Med. Cent). 32, 37–42 (2019). DOI: 10.1080/08998280.2018.1512275
4. Wang, H. et al. Epidemiologic Features of Traumatic Fractures in Children and Adolescents: A 9-Year Retrospective Study. Biomed Res. Int. 2019, (2019). DOI: 10.1155/2019/8019063
5. 15 Common Car Crash Injuries – Forbes Advisor. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/auto-accident/car-crash-injuries/. (Accessed: 2nd September 2023)
6. Common Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries and When to Visit the ER. Available at: https://www.advanceer.com/resources/blog/2019/may/common-motor-vehicle-accident-injuries-and-when-/. (Accessed: 2nd September 2023)