Comparison of the epidemiology and injury profile among injured patients involved in special purpose vehicle-related incidents in South Korea

Abstract

Injuries caused by mobile machinery or special purpose vehicles (SPVs) can lead to high socio-medical cost and fatality. In this descriptive study, we compared the epidemiology and injury profile of injured patients involved in SPVs-related incidents. We analyzed a nationwide database of SPV-related injured patients between January 2011 and December 2016. Injured patients were classified into three groups: pedestrian, motor vehicle occupant (MVO), and SPV operator groups. Of 1,419 cases, the highest number of SPV-related injured patients were found in the age group 40–59 years (671 cases, 47.3%) and at transport area (771 cases, 54.3%). The injury was most severe in the SPV operator group. The lower extremities were the most common fracture site, and intrathoracic injury was the most common visceral regions for SPV-related injured patients. SPV operator could lead to fatal intrathoracic injuries.