In 2022 destined 42,795 people died in a car accident because of Common causes Distracted driving, speeding, alcohol and drug abuse, and broken-down cars. As a result, motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death globally.
Common injuries It comes from frontal, side and rear impacts that can cause rib fractures, pelvic and abdominal trauma, and neck and spine injuries. Head injuries are common in blunt force injuries, which can be fatal. In addition, skull fractures, brain hemorrhages, and tissue tears are often life-threatening.
We know the dangers of diverting your attention on the road (obviously Texting and driving is a given). “Vehicles can travel great distances in a matter of seconds,” Dr. Brad Oren, associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School told HuffPost. “If your phone distracts you, your ability to respond to road emergencies, including other vehicles, animals, pedestrians, or other hazards, is significantly limited.”
But in addition to that, there are some common habits that many of us do that can pose a threat to our safety. We asked doctors, including trauma specialists, about sudden car bugs that can be dangerous or fatal on the road. Here are the things they would never do while in the car:
Put your feet on the dashboard
Dr. David Abbasi, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Palm Beach County, Florida, told HuffPost that kicking your legs and feet against a car’s dashboard may sound relaxing and frivolous, but it can have several risks.
“In the event of a collision, you may experience serious or life-altering bone injuries in the lower extremities, such as bone fractures, dislocations, which may require amputation or loss of limbs,” Abbasi said. “Do not do it.”
Abbasi’s TikTok video has garnered 8.7 million views showing fractures on an X-ray after someone put their feet on a dashboard.
Although airbags prevent head and upper body injuries during a crash, airbags also inflate rapidly and can cause fatal injuries when the occupant is Too close to or in contact with direct contact with her. Because the frontal airbags are intended to protect the upper body – raising your legs can cause them to be pushed backward by the force of the airbags.
“The energy from the impact and the airbag is transmitted to the legs on the dashboard,” Abbasi said. Instead, you should sit in your car seat the same way you would in a desk or classroom – With support in your back and legs.
Wear a claw clip
Claw clips have become one of the most popular hair accessories, way back from the 90’s. Although the clip is a quick and practical way to get your hair out of your face, doctors are warning people about the potential dangers of wearing it in a car during an accident.
One TikTok user documented his visit to the emergency room after she was involved in a car accident while wearing a claw clip, exposing a gash on the back of her head.
Dr. Betsy Granach, a board-certified neurosurgeon at Longstreet Clinical Neurosurgery based in Gainesville, Georgia, played the video, emphasizing the risks associated with driving with a hair accessory, adding, “The most likely scenario is that you’re going to have to get a scalp fix.”
“Claw clips worn on the back of the head can be dangerous if you get into an accident. They can damage your scalp and can cause a traumatic brain injury due to the object being implanted in the back of your head,” Granach told HuffPost. “However, the skull is very thick in the occipital region, so death from wearing a claw clip is extremely unlikely.”
Traumatic brain injury can be classified as: Mild, moderate or severe – With most severe traumatic brain injuries as a result of motor vehicle accidents occurring from blunt trauma. To prevent further injury, it may be worth swapping out the claw clamp for a softer option.
“Anything in a car can become dangerous in the event of a car accident,” said Granach. “It would be best to use a bow tie, elastic band, or other soft hair tie.”
Switch your child’s car seat too early
Car accidents are The main cause of death Among children in the United States, however, having proper seats and harnesses can reduce injuries and deaths by 80%.
Dr.. Megan MartinThere are risks that come with removing your child from a safety car seat too soon, said a pediatric emergency physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Rear-facing is absolutely safest if that child is within the seat’s maximum weight and height limits,” Martin told HuffPost. “Once they’re facing forward, you start to increase the risk, especially if they’re very young; It creates more tension on the neck and body, and increases their susceptibility to injuries.”
For children ages 2-4Using a rear-facing car seat with seat belts is the best protection. When children outgrow the rear-facing seat, they can use the forward-facing seat with harness and top tether until age 5. cross it correctly and comfortably.
“With car seats, there is a huge difference between children who come in for shock alerts who were not in the car seat, and then children who are properly restrained. Very rarely do we see a properly restrained child who comes in with a shock alert,” Martin said.
Hold pets in the front seat
The Humane Society participated The importance of traveling safely With your pet, including not letting them roam in the car and keeping them in the back seats.
Dr. Sarah Hogan, medical director of the California Veterinarians’ facility in California, told HuffPost that pets should never be ridden loosely in a car — and that includes sitting in the front seats.
“Most dogs do not meet minimum airbag size requirements, and even those that do, do not have the anatomy for basic seatbelts to be protective,” Hogan said. Thus, measures added to compounds to enhance human survival can increase the risk of fatal shocks for most domestic animals. This means that neither the front seat, the passenger seat nor the driver’s lap is a safe position. “
It doesn’t help that our pets are nervous, hopping from one seat to another, which can also be a distraction for the driver.
“They’ll move, like getting off the pedals or blocking your view of the road, and if they get scared or panicked, they can panic and start biting,” Hogan said. “Plus, even a calm dog can be a great distraction, so carrying them on your lap puts both of you at risk.”
Steering wheel decoration
Injuries are common in car accidents, especially when rubbing against the steering wheel. Although any item in a vehicle can become dangerous during a car accident, having a adornment on the steering wheel can slam into your face and other passengers.
“Rhinestones or jewels on the steering wheel can cause damage in the event of an accident,” Daniella Lamour, MD, an emergency physician in Boynton Beach, Fla., Tell HuffPost. “It can act like a projectile once it comes into contact with the airbags and hit those in the vehicle.”
Car accessories can be dangerous, especially when they interfere with airbags. The same goes for loose items, which were responsible for 13,000 car accidents in one year.
“Injuries depend on the area of impact,” said Lamour. “For example, if fragments (rhinestones, crystals, etc.) fall into the eye, you could have a penetrating injury to the globe. It can also become embedded in the skin sometimes requiring surgical removal. Where it lands will ultimately determine the extent of the damage. “.
