ABSTRACT
Injury results from intentional or unintentional damage to the body from acute exposure to different forms of energy. If the source of energy is mechanical in nature, injury results when stresses and strains or forces and deformations cause physical or functional failure of tissues. Injury is considered one of the most serious and under-recognized health problems affecting society today. The advent of mechanized modes of transportation in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries exposed humans to speeds that put them at risk of injury in the event of a vehicle collision. Worldwide, the World Health Organization estimates that 1.2 million people die each year in road crashes, and as many as 50 million are injured or disabled.1 Transportation-related injuries are the leading cause of deaths for Americans aged 1 to 44 and are the most common cause of physician contacts and hospitalization for all Americans.2 The rapid motorization of developing countries similarly will lead to unparalleled morbidity and mortality in the upcoming decades. In addition to the staggering human costs, the economic consequences for lost productivity, legal and medical costs, and insurance expenses are enormous. Despite the prevalence and expense, injury is not the result of an unavoidable accident but rather a problem that can be addressed with adequate attention and support. As part of a larger injury control program that includes addressing exposure, behavior modication, and postinjury management, injury prevention strategies must be based on knowledge of the mechanisms of injury as well as the body’s response and tolerance. Furthermore, such strategies must be imposed in conjunction with tools and techniques for assessing the effectiveness of injury
CONTENTS
16.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................445 16.2 Injury Risk Functions ........................................................................................................447
