Investigating traumatic injuries in motorcyclists around the world: A review article

Abstract

Motorcyclists are considered as a vulnerable road-user population as a result of their lack of protection. They are at higher risk of accident and are more probable to sustain severe injuries or pass away than other motor vehicles. It has been expected that they are at 30–35 times greater risk of injury and death in comparison to car drivers. Having information about the demographic characteristics of a motorcycle crash can be useful in the prevention and management of road accidents. Therefore, the present study reviewed the pattern of traumatic injuries related to motorcycle accidents. Articles were searched through databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library using the keywords “motorcycle”, “motorcyclist”, “crash”, “accident”, and “traumatic injuries”. While lower extremity injuries are reported as the most prevalent injuries in motorcycle crashes, which is followed by upper extremity injuries and head injuries, head injuries are the main leading cause of death in these victims. Besides, spinal cord injuries, although occur in lower percentages, often cause permanent disability. The most common fractures were related to Tibia-fibula fractures. Using helmets and protective clothing significantly decreased the rate of mortality and severe injuries.