How many TBI-related fatalities are caused by car crashes?

People lose their lives in many ways when they are involved in collisions on the road, whether they experience heavy bleeding or sustain internal organ damage that proves fatal. However, some lose their lives after suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a motor vehicle accident. TBIs are a common consequence of traffic wrecks and there are many ways in which a victim may hit his or her head during a crash. Moreover, some people sustain a TBI and do not even realize their brain was harmed until later on.

The Centers for Disease Control and Information states that traffic accidents were one of the primary causes of TBI-related deaths during 2013. Throughout the year, 19 percent of people who passed away due to a TBI sustained the injury in a traffic accident. Furthermore, among those aged five to 24 years old, traffic collisions were the main cause of TBI-related death. With regard to people between 15 and 44 years of age, traffic crashes were the primary reason behind TBI-related hospitalization.

Clearly, motor vehicle wrecks are hazardous for people of all ages and the consequences of sustaining brain trauma in a crash can be very serious. Unfortunately, these incidents will keep happening on roads across the country, which is why drivers should do what they can to protect themselves, such as wearing a seat belt and avoiding roads that may be particularly dangerous. That said, the negligent actions of other drivers cannot be stopped, and they should be held accountable for the consequences of their decisions.