Motor vehicle-pedestrian accidents in adults. Relationship between impact speed, injuries, and distance thrown

Eighty-five fatal motor vehicle-pedestrian accidents involving adults were reviewed in order to establish the relationship of impact speed to amputation of limbs, atlanto-occipital dislocation of the spine, and distance a body is thrown by a vehicle from point of impact to point of rest. In five cases, there was amputation of a limb, in two, transection of the torso. All occurred at highway speeds (> 55 mph). Twenty-six (31%) of victims had atlanto-occipital dislocations. Half of these accidents occurred at street speeds, half at highway speeds. In cases where the point of impact and distance to point of rest of the body was known, this distance averaged 80.8 feet for automobiles and 82.3' for pickups and vans. There was, however, a wide range: 6-355' for cars and 15-207' for vans and pickups.