Pedestrian hit by a car impacted metal pole: reconstructing the head load

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Trauma Surgery
• Forensic Engineering

Background:

• Pedestrian head injuries are a significant concern in traffic accidents.
• Understanding injury mechanisms is crucial for prevention and treatment.

Observation:

• A pedestrian sustained a severe skull fracture when struck by a bent traffic sign pole after a car collision.
• The injury mechanism mimicked that of falling object impacts rather than typical traffic accidents.

Findings:

• Calculations indicated contact forces of approximately 36 kN, significantly exceeding the 12.5 kN average force required to fracture the parietal bone.
• High impact velocity and partial mass transfer from the car to the pole were identified as primary contributors to the extreme forces.

Implications:

• This case highlights the potential for severe head trauma from secondary impacts in traffic incidents.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering impact velocity and mass transfer in biomechanical analyses of traffic-related injuries.