How Speeding Causes Severe Injuries

How Speeding Causes Severe Injuries in Car Accidents

Speeding is a major contributing factor to severe injuries in car accidents. Speeding significantly amplifies the forces involved during an accident and the resulting harm to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. As discussed below by Dr. Deryk Harting, a chiropractor at one of the highest rated car accident medical care facilities in the Tampa Bay area, the physics of car accidents explains why higher speeds lead to more severe injuries:

Kinetic Energy- Kinetic energy, which is the energy an object possesses due to its motion, increases exponentially with speed. When a vehicle travels at higher speeds, it accumulates greater kinetic energy. In a collision, this energy transforms into destructive force upon impact. The higher the speed, the more energy is released and exerted on both the vehicle and its occupants. For example, a car traveling at 60 miles per hour has significantly more kinetic energy than a car traveling at 30 miles per hour. In a crash, this higher kinetic energy translates into greater force, making the impact more severe and increasing the likelihood of injuries.

Force of Impact- According to Newton’s laws of motion, the force exerted during a crash depends on the change in momentum of the vehicle. Momentum is determined by the mass of the vehicle and its velocity. The momentum of a vehicle increases with speed, meaning that at higher speeds the vehicle has more momentum. In a crash, the change in momentum happens rapidly and results in a tremendous force of impact. These forces are transferred to the occupant’s bodies inside the vehicle, causing severe injuries due to the sudden deceleration or acceleration.

Speeding increases the risk and severity of various injuries sustained in car accidents:

1. Head and Brain Injuries: High-speed collisions often result in the head striking against the interior of the vehicle or the brain striking against the skull due to rapid acceleration/deceleration and violent movement of the head and neck. This can lead to concussions, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), bleeding inside the brain (intracranial hemorrhage), and even permanent neurological/cognitive impairments.

2. Spinal Injuries: The spine is vulnerable in car accidents but especially during high-speed crashes. The immense forces exerted on the body can cause the spine to twist, bend, or compress excessively, leading to spinal fractures, disc injuries, or spinal cord injuries that can result in paralysis. These injuries can have life-altering consequences for victims.

3. Chest and Abdominal Injuries: The impact forces from high-speed collisions can cause the chest to strike the steering wheel, dashboard, or seatbelt. This may result in rib fractures, lung contusions, internal bleeding, or injuries to internal organs such as rupture of the liver, spleen, or kidney. These types of injuries can be life-threatening and may require immediate medical attention.

4. Limb Injuries: Extremities are often injured in car accidents. This can be due to impact forces and bodily impacts within the interior of the vehicle. High-speed crashes can cause fractures, lacerations, dislocations, and even traumatic amputations of limbs upon impact or from being pinned inside the vehicle.

5. Ejection Injuries: One of the most dangerous consequences of speeding-related accidents is the increased risk of ejection from the vehicle. When a vehicle comes to a sudden stop due to a collision, unrestrained occupants continue moving forward at the vehicle’s previous speed until they hit something inside the vehicle or are ejected through windows or doors. Ejection significantly increases the likelihood of severe injury and death.

6. Psychological Impacts: Beyond physical injuries, high-speed accidents can have profound psychological and long-term effects on survivors and their families. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and a fear of driving or being in vehicles are common outcomes for those involved in severe accidents. These psychological effects negatively impact quality of life and may require ongoing therapy and support.

Speeding is more than just breaking traffic laws- it directly correlates with severe injuries or even death.

Understanding the physics and potential outcomes of these events emphasizes the importance of adhering to posted speed limits and responsible driving practices.

— This article is written by Deryk Harting, DC, one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic testing to various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Florida.

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