Hip Fractures in Automobile Accidents: High prevalence

Ed Smith

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A recent study conducted by the University of Alabama, in coordination with the Jefferson County Coroner's office, has indicated that persons involved in fatal car crashes often have moderate, to much more severe, hip fractures. The study further found that a higher prevalence of hip fractures occurred in relation to the speed involved in the collision.

There was also a much higher incidence of hip fractures occurring in pedestrian and motorcycle accidents, as noted below:

Additionally, pedestrians and motorcyclists were twice as likely to sustain a pelvic fracture, and the severity of pelvic fracture type seemed to correlate with increasing speed of the automobile. No correlation between drug use or direction of impact and incidence or type of pelvic fracture was observed. Compared with published studies on survivors of automobile accidents, our data suggest that pelvic injuries may tend to be more severe in victims who do not survive to hospitalization.

Ultimately, more data is needed as the study concluded that the data was probably faulty as it included only persons who survived long enough to reach the hospital, excluding many more vicitms of hip fracture who died prior to reaching the hospital.