One of the things any person who’s riding a car knows that an accident can happen at any minute while they’re on the road. An accident, depending on various factors such as the nature of contact and the level of safety the vehicle provides, can cause different levels of damage to the human body. At worst cases, it can even lead to death. But for the meantime, let’s first focus on the common car accident injuries. What are these injuries, how do they come about, and what treatment methods are used for them?
- Whiplash- The neck area, also known in medical terms as the cervical area of the spinal cord, is very prone to injury during a crash. The enormous forces involved in the crash can cause the neck to move quickly and forcibly, causing injury and even death, depending on the amount of damage done to the neck and spine. Symptoms involving this injury include neck soreness, pain in the neck area, and sometimes sensory disturbances.
- Head injuries- The type of head injuries a person can suffer during a car accident largely depends on the severity of impact and if the passengers have safety equipment (ex.: safety belts and airbags) present to break up these immense forces. On minor cases, a person involved in an accident can get away with just cuts and bruises. In advanced cases, concussions, broken bones in the skull, and even hemorrhaging can be present.
- Broken bones- Depending on the level of impact (as well as the body parts affected), a person can have broken bones all over their body. Broken arms and legs often occur when they get pinned during major collisions. Broken facial bones can also result from the head hitting different parts of the car such as the dashboard, steering wheel, or windows. Also, discs in the spinal cord can slip, rupture, or even break due to force of impact.
- Nervous system- It’s a sad fact that parts of the central nervous system, the brain and the spinal cord, is at most risk during car accidents. It’s also a sad fact that if the nervous system gets damaged, it can lead to some serious and even life-threatening conditions. The brain can get damaged due to excessive head impact, and the spinal cord can get damaged due to extreme torsional forces acting on it. On worst-case scenarios, amnesia, paralysis, and even death can ensue.
Given the numerous scenarios that can happen during a car accident, there’s no telling what injuries a person can suffer during such an event. This is why car companies are doing their best to design their cars so it can provide maximum safety when the unexpected happens. This is also the same driving force that leads governments and policy makers to enforce various traffic rules to promote road safety. It’s these interests that lead these different groups to work together to reach a common goal: eliminate or at least reduce road accidents and the common car accident injuries that come with them.
