J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2013 Feb;24(1):70-76.

Analysis of Accident Mechanisms in Unhelmeted Motorcycle Accident Victims

• Kim SC
• Lee JW
• Ko DH
• Baek KJ
• Jung HS
• Park SO
• Hong DY
• Lee KR

Abstract

PURPOSE
Due to their vulnerability and relatively high driving speed, motorcycles have been associated with a high risk of sustaining multiple severe injuries after traffic accidents. We sought to investigate sustained injuries and the association of accident mechanisms with injury severity for unhelmeted motorcycle accident victims.
METHODS
This study was conducted as an observational retrospective study. Unhelmeted motorcycle accident victims who visited the study hospital from January 2010 to December 2011 were included. Data were obtained from medical records, ambulance run-sheets, and telephone interviews. Accident mechanisms were divided into collision with an obstacle, single vehicle accident, collision with another vehicle, collision by another vehicle, and falling accident from the viewpoint of energy. Glasgow coma scale (GCS), Revised trauma score (RTS), and Injury Severity Score (ISS) were analyzed for comparison of injury severity according to the accident mechanisms.
RESULTS
Of 404 patients who visited the study hospital, 165 patients were included; 87.3%(144/165) were male, and 78.8%(130/165) were drivers. The incidence of motor cycle accident showed the highest in the teenager and in time during 18:00~24:00 o'clock. Lower extremity was the most common site of injury, followed by upper extremity, head, and face etc. Injury due to falling was the most severe injury mechanism, followed by collision with another vehicle, collision by another vehicle, and a single vehicle and an obstacle (p=0.013).
CONCLUSION
Lower extremity injury was the most common injury site in unhelmeted motorcycle accidents, and motorcycle accidents by fall and collision with another vehicle should be considered as a severe mechanism of injury.

Keyword

Motorcycles; Injuries; Injury Severity Score

MeSH Terms

Accidents, Traffic
Adolescent
Ambulances
Glasgow Coma Scale
Head
Humans
Incidence
Injury Severity Score
Interviews as Topic
Lower Extremity
Male
Medical Records
Motorcycles
Retrospective Studies
Upper Extremity