Mj. Swierzewski et al., DEATHS FROM MOTOR-VEHICLE CRASHES - PATTERNS OF INJURY IN RESTRAINED AND UNRESTRAINED VICTIMS, The journal of trauma, injury, infection, and critical care, 37(3), 1994, pp. 404-407
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.