Citation

Larder DR, Twiss MK, Mackay GM. Proc. Am. Assoc. Automot. Med. Annu. Conf. 1985; 29: 153-165.

Affiliation

University of Birmingham, Accident Research Unit, Birmingham, England

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper presents data on some aspects of neck injuries which occur to car occupants where the use of lap/shoulder seat belts is over 90%. The data came from in-depth crash investigation studies conducted during 1984, after the passage of the seat belt law in Britain. 15% of the occupants in the sample (which is weighted towards fatal and serious cases) had a neck injury, but of these only 15% were severe enough to warrant an AIS rating of 1 or greater. The problems of defining the non-specific symptoms of minor soft tissue neck injuries, below the definition of acute neck strain necessary for AIS 1, are discussed. A subset of cases were followed up using a questionnaire technique. Females showed a higher incidence of minor neck strain but no age effect was detected. Head restraint presence was not a factor; most of the impacts were frontal. In two thirds of the cases there was no head contact. Almost 40% had neck pain lasting for at least a month and 8% had symptoms lasting for longer than 6 months. 34% used a neck collar for a period. It is concluded that these minor neck injuries are a real feature of restrained occupants surviving relatively severe crashes, and because of delayed onset of symptoms they are under-reported. They present a classification problem which is best addressed by the development of a disability scale.

Language: en