Torso Injury Trends for Pedestrians Struck by Cars and LTVs

As light trucks become more prevalent in the vehicle fleet, it becomes important to consider the implication of vehicle geometry variations on pedestrian injury patterns. Historically, studies have shown that the body region priorities should be the head and lower extremity for pedestrians struck by motor vehicles. More recent studies have found that the injury pattern for pedestrians struck by Light Trucks, Vans, and Sport Utility Vehicles (LTVs) is different from that of those struck by passenger cars. Data from the Pedestrian Crash Data Study (PCDS) during the period 1994 to 1998 has shown that the torso should be a significant focus area, preceded only by the head, for pedestrians struck by LTVs. In this study the authors analyzed the type and severity of AIS 2+ torso injuries recorded in PCDS for adults age 18 to 50. Regardless of impacting vehicle type, the most frequently injured torso structures at the AIS 2+ level are the ribcage, liver, and lung. Considering instead the AIS 4+ level, the most commonly injured torso structures are the aorta, ribcage, and spleen in pedestrians struck by LTVs and the lung, ribcage, and liver in those struck by passenger cars. The results of this study suggest that while the overall torso injury trends may be similar for passenger cars and LTVs, somewhat different injury patterns are occurring at higher severity and may be a result of differences in vehicle geometry and injury mechanisms.