Research Papers (2009 – 2013)

Abstract

Various pedestrian trajectories have been described arising from collisions with motor vehicles. In fatal cases, a typical injury pattern represented by a triad of fractures of the skull (brain injury), pelvis-hip and lower extremities has been observed. The pathologist’s role during the postmortem examination of a pedestrian death is not only to determine whether trauma caused death but also to appreciate the significance of any injuries in terms of the interaction between the pedestrian and the impacting vehicle. A “bumper” fracture of the lower extremity is considered to be an indicator of an upright rather than recumbent pedestrian. The radiographic appearance of this fracture is thought to assist in determining the direction of vehicle travel. The vertical height of the fracture site relative to the sole of the foot has been correlated to the vehicle bumper height at the time of the collision. Based on a literature review, this paper will discuss the current status of these long-held observations and their limitations in death investigations.

Michael J. Shkrum