High-power motorcycle accidents in Spain: a descriptive study

PURPOSE

In modern societies, motorcycle accidents have become a great problem for health systems worldwide. In Spain, the size and the power of the engine of 2-wheel vehicles determine the type of driving license and the age at which these vehicles can be used (mopeds and motorcycles, which at the same time can have a small or large engine capacity). The objective of the present study was to analyze and characterize low- and high-power motorcycle accidents in Spain, between 2014 and 2020, both included and compared these categories with each other.

METHODS

Retrospective, descriptive, and observational study of motorcycle and moped accidents in Spain between 2014 and 2020, both included.

RESULTS

The mortality of motorcycle accident riders in Spain is associated with males aged between 30 and 40 years old, with a high-power motorcycle, and an A or A1 driver's license, who is 6.7 times more likely to die in crossings and highways than a moped, while wearing a helmet, and if not, this increases to 4.89 times. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in death at 24 h after a high-power motorcycle accident was observed, as compared with a large reduction in the total medical assistance provided in 2019-2020.

CONCLUSIONS

High-power motorcycles had higher scores in mortality and morbity rates than low-power ones, with a significant increase in mortality during the pandemic, even though number of accidents and medical assistance provided were drastically reduced.

The forgotten protection factor: A nationwide score-based assessment of motorcycle eye protection legislation

INTRODUCTION

Motorcycle accidents cause millions of deaths and injuries globally. It is estimated that billions of dollars would be saved in the United States alone if safety equipment, such as helmets and eye protection, was ubiquitously worn. Legislation concerning eye protection specifically is understudied and poorly characterized.

METHOD

We reviewed all motorcycle-related safety equipment laws in all 50 states of the United States for information regarding eye protection. We graded the rigor of each statute using our six-category Eye Safety Metric and performed a comparative analysis of statutes across all jurisdictions.

RESULTS

Fourteen states did not have any statutes regarding eye protection. Among states that did, 23 states had weak statutes (0-2 points), 20 states had moderately stringent statutes (3-4 points), and 7 states had strong statutes (5-6 points). States in western United States tended to have less strict eye protection laws. Twenty-six states had eye protection exemptions for windshields, which are a poor form of eye protection. Six states that had universal helmet laws had no laws requiring eye protection.

CONCLUSIONS

We characterized eye protection legislation across the country and found great diversity in the stringency of laws across all jurisdictions. Despite only two states lacking helmet laws, we found that 14 states lacked eye protection laws. These findings from our Eye Safety Metric can be used as a springboard for future research, which can be used to determine the need for and significance of eye safety legislation for motorcyclists and to inform legislative decision-making.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

With this research, we hope to further the understanding of legislation regarding eye protection for motorcyclists and help policymakers identify states that need improved eye safety standards.

Traumatic fatal aortic rupture in motorcycle drivers

Traumatic fatal aortic rupture (FAR) is a common finding in victims of motor vehicle crashes (MVC), but its aetiology and mechanisms of production remain an issue of major concern, above all in motorcyclists. This study reports a series of cases obtained from a retrospective analysis of traumatic FARs occurring in motorcycle drivers, with the aim of defining the injury patterns and correlating them with the mechanisms of FAR production. Circumstantial, autopsy and histology data were collected through a retrospective analysis of post mortem examinations performed at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Padova between 2014 and 2016. Among 151 traffic related victims, 8 were motorcycle drivers and displayed traumatic FAR and were thus included in the study. In 7 cases, the presence of abdominal/thoracic injuries suggested that the external compression due to the accident was at least a concurrent cause of FAR, being the predominant mechanism of aortic injury in 4 cases, through the "osseous pinch" or the "waterhammer effect" mechanisms. Our study highlights the well-known role of "preventative forensic pathology", which has become routinary in traffic medicine since many years, also for defining the points of impact and the injury patterns of motorcyclists sustaining traumatic FAR, thereby facilitating the development of new prevention strategies and devices. Further studies, however, are needed in order to widen the investigated population and to estimate the real number of victims for which traumatic FAR might hypothetically be prevented with specific countermeasures.

Pattern of Injuries in Fatal Motorcycle Accidents Seen in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital: An Autopsy-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Deaths from motorcycle accident injuries have remained a major public health issue in Nigeria over the years.

AIM

The study is to determine the age and gender distribution of the victims and to identify the cause of death and the anatomical pattern of injuries seen.

METHODOLOGY

This is a 5-year autopsy-based study of all motorcycle accident deaths seen in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital between December 2009 and November 2014. The data were retrieved from autopsy reports, hospital case notes extracts from police diary and were analysed using SPSS version 20.

RESULTS

Motorcycle accidents accounted for 156 (2.8%) of all the autopsies done (5,661), and 156 (18.4%) of all Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) autopsies (849) performed over the study period, with a male: female ratio of 6:1. The peak age of victims was 31-40 years (30.9%). Head injuries accounted for most (41.4%) of the injuries seen, and the majority of the victims died of craniocerebral injury 53 (50.7%).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that males in the fourth decade of life are the major victims of motorcycle accident death. The majority of the victims were the rider of the motorcycle. Most of them died of the craniocerebral injury.

Motor vehicle accidents and injuries in patients with idiopathic blepharospasm

BACKGROUND

Blepharospasm can cause transient functional blindness that may cause catastrophic traffic accidents.

METHODS

Sixty-six patients in southern Taiwan with idiopathic blepharospasm were enrolled. The incidence of and injuries from traffic accidents from the onset of blepharospasm symptoms to the first injection of botulinum toxin were analyzed. Data were collected from medical records and face-to-face interviews with patients and their families.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients (39.4%) had traffic accidents (21 motorcycle; 5 car). There were 5 incapacitating motorcycle injuries: 1 cervical spine injury with quadriparesis, 1 blunt abdominal injury with internal bleeding, 2 broken limbs, and 1 ligament rupture; 1 incapacitating car injury: broken limb of other person; and 11 non-incapacitating motorcycle injuries (abrasions, bruises, and minor lacerations). Nine patients were uninjured.

CONCLUSIONS

Blepharospasm caused incapacitating injuries for motorcyclists themselves and another person in a car accident. Patients with untreated blepharospasm should avoid riding motorcycles and driving cars.

Comparison of severity and pattern of injuries between motorcycle riders and their pillions: a matched study

INTRODUCTION

Motorcyclists and their pillion riders are the most vulnerable group of road users in Singapore, accounting for 50% of all road traffic accident fatalities in 2011. This study aims to compare the severity and pattern of injuries between matched pairs of riders and pillions.

METHODS

Thirty-two matched pairs who presented to the A&E of an urban hospital from 1 August 2011 to 20 March 2012 were enrolled. Data were obtained from the hospital's trauma registry records, clinical records and accident victims were interviewed individually. Analysis was done using Stata 10 and considered rider-pillion pairs.

RESULTS

Thirty-one pairs agreed to participate. There was no statistically significant difference in the ISS between riders and pillions (p=0.25). There was no significant difference in the probability of survival, Revised Trauma Score, distribution of injuries, total duration of admission and ICU stay between riders and pillions. When one party of the matched pair sustained a head, face, thoracic, abdominal/pelvic, extremity or external injury, the likelihood that the other party had an injury in the same region was 31%, 14%, 10%, 14%, 56% and 68% respectively. Cohen's kappa values were 0.28, 0.15, 0.05, 0.17, 0.24 and -0.16 for the respective regions.

DISCUSSION

By comparing the severity and pattern of injuries between naturally matched pairs on the same motorcycle, one can account for potential confounding by the type and impact of collision, rider experience, amount of time to availability of medical aid, and other factors that may influence the outcome. Our study shows no statistically significant difference in the ISS and distribution of injuries between riders and pillions of matched pairs. Therefore, future health and insurance policies should provide equal coverage for both riders and pillions. Medical practitioners should approach riders and pillions similarly as there is no significant difference in their injury distribution. When one party of a matched pair presents with a head, extremity or external injury, care should be taken to look for an injury in the same region in the other party.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that there is no statistically significant difference in the ISS of riders and pillions. The pattern of injury is also similar. This study provides us useful information in the clinical management of motorcyclists and their pillions.