Femur Fracture Patterns in Pedestrian Injuries

Femur Fracture Patterns in Pedestrian Injuries

Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable while crossing the street. Without any protection between themselves, the pavement, and passing motor vehicles, it is important for every driver to watch for pedestrians. According to statistics by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• In 2013, more than 4,700 pedestrians were killed in road traffic accidents. This means that, on average, a pedestrian was killed in an accident every two hours.
• On top of this, another pedestrian is injured every 8 minutes.
• Alcohol was involved in nearly half of all pedestrian versus auto accidents.
• About a fifth of all pedestrians killed was the result of a hit and run accident.

These numbers show that pedestrian accidents are a serious issue and impact thousands of families every year. Therefore, it is important to understand the injury patterns that take place in auto versus pedestrian accidents.

The Design of the Study: Reviewing Pedestrian Injuries

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shed some light on the patterns of injuries suffered by pedestrians who were struck by motor vehicles. The study found that little research on the topic was present at the time of publication. The medical researchers reviewed the medical records of all pedestrians who were struck by motor vehicles over a ten year period and categorized the injuries by bodily location:

• Head
• Chest
• Abdomen
• Extremities

Then, they graded the severity of the injuries. Finally, they calculated the mortality rate for three different age groups:

• Young children
• Adolescents and adults
• The elderly

Finally, the researchers looked for trends in the injuries and mortality across the age groups, and throughout the injury patterns. The results yielded some important information regarding pedestrians and road traffic accidents.

Femur Fractures: The Results of the Study

In total, the researchers reviewed the medical records of close to 6,000 patients. Some of the important numbers from the study include:

• About 20 percent of the individuals were under the age of 14.
• Around 65 percent of individuals were adolescents and adults.
• The remaining 15 percent were elderly individuals.

Regarding the mortality rate of the different age groups, the results were as follows:

• The overall mortality rate was around 8 percent.
• Just over 3 percent of individuals aged 14 or younger were killed in the accident.
• More than a quarter of elderly individuals struck by motor vehicles were killed.

As age increased, the severity of the injuries increased as well. Notably, as individuals aged, head and chest injuries became more common. But for extremity injuries:

• Those who were adolescents or young children were more likely to suffer femur fractures than their older counterparts.
• Adults and the elderly were more likely to sustain fractures of the tibia or fibula.

This difference in injury patterns likely has to do with the contact point of the motor vehicle on the individual’s body. Because children are shorter, the car is more likely to strike them on the upper leg than on the lower leg.

Implications for the Future

These numbers show that pedestrian accidents are deadly. Steps need to be taken to try to reduce the frequency and severity of these preventable collisions. Even for those who survive, there could be lasting complications due to their injuries. This could result in multiple surgical procedures, a prolonged recovery time, and an inability to return to their pre-injury functional baseline.

Watch YouTube Video: Safe Steps, Road Safety and Pedestrians. This video is aimed at raising awareness and providing clear life-saving messages on road safety.

Contacting an Experienced Attorney

Serious pedestrian versus auto accidents can happen to anyone. This can leave families with more questions than answers, wondering what they should do next. Under these circumstances, it is important to ask for help. An Elk Grove pedestrian accident attorney can help families during these difficult times. A trained injury lawyer can provide assistance by:

• Making sure that all of the factors involved in the case have been considered in detail.
• Meeting with professionals in accident reconstruction to ensure that the mechanism is appropriate.
• Helping to hold any negligent parties accountable.
• Assisting families in pursuing damages that are related to injuries, pain, and emotional trauma.

Take a few minutes to meet with a pedestrian accident lawyer in Elk Grove today. Your case could be deserving of a substantial financial settlement.

Elk Grove Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

I’m Ed Smith, a pedestrian accident lawyer in Elk Grove. Pedestrians injuries can lead to severe bone fractures, including a broken femur. Those who have been hurt in a pedestrian accident should give me a call for free, friendly legal advice at 916-694-0002  or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.