Vehicle incompatibility affects occupant extrication after motor vehicle crashes

Pintar, Frank A.<sup>1,2</sup>; Olshanski, John<sup>3</sup>; Yoganandan, Narayan<sup>1,2</sup>

Affiliations

¹Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Wisconsin

³Safe and Fast Extrication Inc., New Berlin, Wisconsin, USA

Abstract

Improvements in occupant extrication techniques are required due to enhanced safety features in modern vehicles. The research questions were focused on what force directions and what vehicle types, were most highly associated with an extricated occupant. Two national databases, FARS and CIREN were queried. Principal direction of force for the occupant vehicle and vehicle weight were used as delineating variables. From FARS data, the percentage of extricated occupants increased between 1993 and 2000. Left-sided crashes account for the highest percentage of occupants requiring extrication (18.8%) compared to occupants in rear crashes (lowest at 8.6%). Occupants in vehicles less than 2500 pounds were most often extricated (19.1%) compared to vehicles greater than 3500 pounds (lowest at 11.3%). From the CIREN database, for left-sided crashes, occupants required extrication 33.0% of the time when involved in truck-into-car crashes whereas car-into-car crash victims were extricated only 27.3%. These results imply an increased risk for extrication need for those occupants struck by a vehicle that is mismatched.

Cited Works (1)

Year	Entry
1993	Siegel JH, Mason-Gonzalez S, Dischinger PC, Read M, Cushing BM, Badellino MC, Goodarzi S, Smialek JE, Heatfield BM, Robinson RM, Parkinson K, Hill WJ, Jackson JW, Livingston DJ, Bents FD, Clark CC. Causes and costs of injuries in multiple trauma patients requiring extrication from motor vehicle crashes. J Trauma. December 1993;35(6):920-931.