Predicting Severity of Traumatic Injuries in Pedestrian Car Collisions Using Age and Location Data

Pedestrian accidents involving motor vehicles are a significant public health concern, with such incidents often resulting in severe injuries or death. Annually, these accidents cause a fatality roughly every 64 minutes and are a leading cause of injury across all age groups. Recent studies highlight that while both children and adults sustain serious injuries from these collisions, adults tend to experience more severe health outcomes. Mapping the geographic distribution of these accidents reveals specific collision hotspots, offering opportunities for targeted injury prevention.

A major study presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2025 analyzed injury severity patterns among pedestrians involved in vehicle collisions. Researchers used data from the ACS Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP), focusing on injury severity scores (ISS). An ISS exceeding 25 signifies multiple critical injuries across different body regions. The study compared 760 pediatric patients (ages 1-17) with 760 adult patients (over 18). Results showed that both groups had high average ISS scores (28 for adults and 26.4 for children), indicating serious injuries overall.

However, adults faced notably worse outcomes. They exhibited higher mortality rates (18.8% vs. 8.1%), and experienced more complications such as deep vein thrombosis and cardiac arrest. Adults were also twice as likely to require unplanned surgeries. These findings suggest that adult pedestrians tend to sustain more life-threatening injuries following vehicle impacts.

The study’s co-author, Dr. Eric J.. Charles, noted that children’s bodies may better withstand and recover from injuries due to their physiological resilience, including better blood flow regulation and blood loss compensation. Nonetheless, the researchers emphasized that pedestrian accidents are rarely minor: victims often suffer injuries that can drastically impact their health and quality of life.

Efforts to reduce pedestrian injuries focus on prevention. Measures such as improved signage, lighting, traffic calming features, and better crosswalk visibility are critical. Although the current data doesn’t specify particular accident locations, ongoing research aims to identify high-risk areas. For example, one geospatial analysis in Colorado pinpointed injury hotspots in Denver, such as intersections at Federal Boulevard, with higher injury rates in neighborhoods with socioeconomic disadvantages. These insights could inform future infrastructural improvements like median barriers, which have already shown promise in reducing accidents.

Overall, this research underscores the importance of targeted injury prevention strategies tailored to specific age groups and geographic areas. Community-based initiatives, combined with urban planning enhancements, can significantly lower the number of pedestrian accidents and their associated health burdens.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-car-pedestrians-age-code-extent.html