What injuries do pedestrians typically suffer motor vehicle accidents?
A Study of pedestrian injuries and trauma in Los Angeles from 1993-2003 involved 5838 pedestrian injuries of which 962 or 16.6 percent were considered severe.
The extent of an injury suffered by a pedestrian depends of 4 factors, primarily:
-Age of Pedestrian
– Speed of Motor Vehicle at Point of Impact
– The objects carried by the Pedestrian and
– The Main area where the pedestrian was struck
Additionally, LTVs (Light trucks) were associated with 3.0 times higher risk of severe injuries in comparison with passenger vehicles. Deaths from LTV-Pedestrian collisions were 3.5
times as likely as that of pedestrian-auto collisions.
The risk of various injuries depends greatly on the age of the pedestrian.
For example, 7.4 percent of children under 14 suffered head trauma compared to 23.7 percent of adults over 65.
5.1 percent of all injured pedestrians had spinal injuries. However, the risk of spinal injuries were 21X greater in the over 65 population, than those experienced by the 14 and under
cohort.
Pelvic injuries displayed also varied greatly in incidence. Overall, 12.8 percent of pedestrians suffered pelvic injury of some sort. Those under 14 suffered 6.3 percent of pelvic injuries
while those over 65 had a 22.5 percent chance of a pelvic injury,
In terms of frequency of all injuries tibial fractures were the most common injury at 25.9 percent. Children were less likely to have tibial fractures, however, and more frequently
suffered a femoral fracture.
Pneumothorax or haemothorax injuries were also frequent…8.5% in patients over 65…much more rare in children.
Overall mortality rate from pedestrian collisions is 7.7 percent.
The age disparity in terms of mortality is severe.
Fully 25.1% in the over 65 Group suffered a fatal injury while for children under 14, the mortality rate was only 3.5 percent.
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Pedestrian Injury Attorney. Call me anytime if you or a family member were a pedestrian involved in a serious accident. My Sacramento Number is
916-921-6400 and you can reach me elsewhere in California at 800-404-5400. We take cases all over the state, Find out more about my firm on Yelp or Avvo.