Annotated Bibliography
Car Accident Spinal Injury. (2015). Retrieved October 8, 2015, from
http://www.brainandspinalcord.org/brain-injury/motor-vehicle-accident.html
This article describes various vehicle-related accidents that can possibly cause spinal cord injuries as well as paralysis. There are a wide array of ways that can lead to injury, namely seatbelt failures, power windows, and suspension defects, among many others. It goes into a bit further detail regarding how car-related accidents actually occur and how it leads to injury. For example, roll overs are a common occurrence that are witnessed more in SUVs due its high center of gravity. Due to lack of strength in the top of the car, it is oft seen to collapse and consequently, injuries in the upper body occur (specifically in the head, neck, and spine). Moreover, seatbelt failures is a popular way of injury, as many have been seen to be too loose, rip off, or even unbuckle upon a crash, leading to minimal protection and restrain during the crash.
Back Injuries from Car Accidents. (2011, July 17). Retrieved October 15, 2015, from
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/accidents/injury-types.php
This article goes over the plethora of back injuries that can occur as a result of car accidents. It extensively describes the many common injuries that occur and specifically how they can occur. It also delves into the legal aspect of accidents such as these, mentioning the long-term expenses related to injuries and disabilities as well as methods of gaining compensation through a court of law. It paints a picture of how detrimental the costs are when it comes to back injury, taking into account medical bills, loss of income, and the inability to complete simple tasks. It ties together the general costs of most back injuries such as disc injuries, spinal cord injuries, as well as compression fractures.
Understanding TBI: Part 1 - What happens to the brain during injury and the early stages of recovery from TBI? (n.d.).
Retrieved November 9, 2015, from
Of-Recovery
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury where the brain is injured by an external object that also leads to unconsciousness, amnesia, seizures, skull fractures, or irregular brain scans. The top causes are falls and crashes as they constitute 52% of the cases of TBI. TBIs can be divided into 2 categories, open head and closed head injury. While closed head means that the skull has not been broken during the accident, open head injury refers to when the skull has broken and the brain is exposed to the exterior environment. Both cases are quite detrimental and have their own different types of injuries within each case.
Car Accident Neck Injuries | by Nolo. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from
http://www.all-about-car-accidents.com/car-accident-neck-injuries.html
The neck is a part of a body that is quite fragile. It carries the weight of the head while also containing many delicate bones and tissues. As a result, there are many neck injuries that can occur due to car accidents. Neck sprain is among them. When ligaments in the neck are stretched too far or even torn, a neck sprain occurs and it causes quite a bit of pain in the neck. Other injuries consist of discs displacing, nerve damage, and pulled muscles. Symptoms of neck injuries include headaches, muscle spasms, and even pain within shoulders and arms.
MinutePhysics. (2015, December 14). The Physics of Car Crashes [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ML4GA47Rg
Initially, the video goes over the chemical energy of gasoline that is made by burning it and then how it is converted to kinetic energy for the motion of the car. While 80% is lost through heat, 20% fuels the car’s motion. But, when it stops, the energy needs to be released somewhere. If brakes stop the car, then they heat up. In the case of a car crash, the crumpling of metal dissipated the energy just how they are supposed to. Cars are made to crumple to reduce the sudden stop in a car crash and allow more time for the vehicle to stop.
IIHS. (2010, July 27). Understanding Car Crashes: When Physics Meets Biology [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtlUBAWHjKM
This video puts into perspective how the physics of car crashes can affect the human body. It seamlessly relates the biology of our human body with the repercussions that occur through a car accident. It goes over the laws of physics behind this common occurrence and highlights how it actually aligns with the laws of physics. It further goes over the human body, specifically various body cavities and organs that play a role in collisions. Then, it highlights different advances in technology that are helping with the safety aspect of vehicles and what passengers can do to maintain the utmost safety.