title: Influencing factors on the injury severity of restrained front seat occupants in car-to-car head-on collisions.
abstract: The results of 319 cases of belt-restrained front seat car occupants (234 drivers and 85 passengers) from 241 vehicles in car-to-car head-on collisions were examined. Ninety-five occupants were uninjured, 195 sustained a total injury severity of Maximum Abbreviated Injury Score (MAIS) 1-3 and 29, MAIS 4-6. There were 27 fatalities, and the main causes of death were polytrauma and hemorrhage. The main factors influencing occupant injury severity were: the energy equivalent speed (EES); the change of velocity (delta upsilon); the maximum deformation depth; and the collision angle. With an EES > 50 km/h fatal injuries can be expected, and above 60 km/h no occupant remained uninjured. The results of a multivariate analysis were: EES influenced the injury severity at all body locations except the spinal cord; occupant position effected only head injury severity, with drivers being more severely injured; occupant age influenced the injury severity at the thorax, abdomen, and extremities and MAIS as well. Age was a further factor influencing injury severity, e.g. with an EES of 50 km/h the probability of being fatally injured was 30%-45% higher for occupants over 59 years than those under 20.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miltner
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Salwender
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001334:Automobile Driving; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices