What is link Between Collision Dynamics and Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a major global cause of death and disability, with nearly one-third attributed to road traffic collisions (RTCs). In a collaborative effort, researchers from TRL and Imperial College London explored the relationship between TBIs and crash variables such as changes in speed, impact direction, and collision force. 

Given that modern vehicles already capture similar data, the researchers foresee the enhancement of current crash notification systems to alert emergency services when a collision presents a high risk for TBI. This advancement has the potential to significantly improve emergency treatment for TBI victims.

The research utilized the UK's premier in-depth RTC database, designed and managed by TRL. Known as the Road Accident In-Depth Studies (RAIDS) database, it contains extensive information about RTCs, including clinical data collected on behalf of the UK Department for Transport. 

Launched in 2013, the RAIDS project thrives through close collaboration with police, hospitals, and TRL’s specialized collision investigation team. TRL’s expertise in human behavior, injury biomechanics, and collision avoidance technology is leveraged to analyze how collision dynamics and head protection impact the occurrence of TBIs.

Research shows: 

By analyzing over 2,000 RTCs in the RAIDS database, TRL and Imperial researchers have identified the likelihood of various brain injuries. 

their findings demonstrate that factors such as changes in speed during collisions, impact direction, and head protection predict different forms of brain trauma, including skull fractures and three types of TBI: subarachnoid hemorrhage, focal brain injury, and subdural hematoma. 

More severe injuries, like subarachnoid hemorrhage, were associated with side-on impacts and crashes with significant speed changes, with TBI risks influenced by road user type and the direction of impact.

The research, published in Brain Communications, forms the foundation for future systems that can automatically identify collisions with a high likelihood of causing TBI. 

This advancement could enable crash notification systems to more accurately predict and communicate injury risks to emergency services, ensuring faster and more appropriate treatment for collision victims.

Lead author Claire Baker, a PhD researcher at TRL and Imperial’s Dyson School of Design Engineering, explained: “We studied which types of road traffic collisions lead to brain injuries. Our data reveals which collisions are most likely to result in severe head injuries, information that can inform emergency response and post-collision care.”

Baker further noted that modern cars already collect the data needed for these predictions, meaning algorithms could quickly assess and communicate the severity of TBIs in real-time, helping emergency operators deploy the appropriate response.

Rapid treatment at specialist trauma centers is critical to improving TBI outcomes—34 million cases worldwide result from RTCs each year. Senior author Professor David Sharp, from Imperial’s Department of Brain Sciences, added: “RTCs often cause life-threatening brain injuries, and early intervention is key to reducing death and disability. Automatically identifying collisions likely to result in severe TBI will enhance the efficiency of treatment.”

In the UK and EU, most new vehicles are equipped with the eCall system, which automatically alerts emergency services following a collision using in-built crash sensors. Similar systems exist globally, like D-Call Net in Japan and OnStar in the U.S. As of mid-2021, 90% of new UK cars had eCall installed.

These sensors record vehicle speeds and directional movements before, during, and after collisions to understand impact dynamics. This data could improve decision-making in RTC care by helping first responders quickly identify potential head injury risks.

Dr. Phil Martin, Head of Biomechanics at TRL, commented: “Using in-vehicle data can help first responders quickly assess the severity of an RTC and prioritize trauma care pathways. This allows emergency services to allocate the right resources, to the right place, at the right time, potentially saving lives and minimizing long-term injuries. We urge policymakers and the automotive industry to grant access to this valuable data, which can be used in retrospective analysis or transmitted via eCall during an RTC.”

PhD candidate Claire Baker emphasized the importance of collaboration in this research: “The expertise, data, and support from TRL have been crucial to the success of my PhD research. The RAIDS database has enabled us to conduct groundbreaking studies on the causes and risks of TBI. Collaborating with colleagues from collision investigation to statistical teams has been instrumental in shaping our approach. The multidisciplinary partnership between TRL and Imperial College London has not only been a highlight of my academic and professional career, but I believe it is essential to making meaningful progress in reducing road injuries.”

Citations 

1. The full paper “The relationship between road traffic collision dynamics and traumatic brain injury pathology “by Claire E. Baker, Phil Martin, Mark H. Wilson, Mazdak Ghajari, and David J. Sharp, published 12 February 2022 in Brain Communications.

2. Article adapted from a press release by Imperial College London

Brain Injury Lawyer Toronto

A traumatic brain injury can be a terrifying experience and can have lasting results. If you or someone that you know has incurred a TBI due to negligence, the aftermath can be devastating. 

With a TBI, physical and cognitive abilities can be adversely affected. This can impact every single aspect of the victims’ life, from time off work, missed career opportunities to changes in personality, feelings of isolation, and depression. 

Expensive medical bills and lost wages can add to the financial stress of this type of injury. When you are going through this type of injury, you need the legal support of someone who has a deep understanding of personal injury law in Toronto.

**Please note that the contents of this blog should not be relied upon as legal advice or medical advice, but only for information and reference purposes. You should always follow the advice of your doctors and treatment providers with respect to your diagnoses and what health and medical steps you should take to best recover. If you wish to obtain legal advice, please contact our office and arrange for a free consultation with one of our lawyers.**