DEATHS FROM MOTOR-VEHICLE CRASHES - PATTERNS OF INJURY IN RESTRAINED AND UNRESTRAINED VICTIMS

A time comparison study of motor vehicle crashes in Monroe County, New York, from 1983 to 1986 was completed. Using a database of police acc ident reports, hospital logs, and autopsy reports from the county coro ner, the hospital and autopsy reports of 91 unrestrained and 27 restra ined fatally injured victims were reviewed. The hypothesis was that sa fety belts do not change patterns of injury in fatally injured victims . Patient data, seating position, and direction of impact were the sam e for both groups, while ejections occurred only in the unrestrained g roup (19.8%). Injury Severity Score (ISS), major injuries in AIS-85 ca tegories for the Head, Thorax, Abdomen, and in AIS-85 Code 5 or 6 cate gories for the Head, Thorax, Abdomen were the same in unrestrained and restrained victims, except for the greater incidence of cerebral cont usions in the unrestrained group (71% vs. 37%, p = 0.002). Cranial inj uries were the most likely cause of death in nearly two thirds of the victims in both groups. The incidence of major head (other than cerebr al contusion), thoracic, and abdominal injuries in unrestrained and re strained fatally injured victims was the same. This suggests that seve re collisions with crushing, intrusion, or significant deceleration ex ceed the ability of restraints to prevent many fatal injuries.