What is one common injury faced by victims in vehicle accidents?

Whiplash and traumatic brain injuries are among the most common injuries sustained in vehicle accidents due to the mechanisms of injury involved in collisions. Whiplash typically occurs when the head is violently jerked forward and then backward, straining the neck muscles and ligaments. This can happen in both rear-end and frontal accidents. Traumatic brain injuries can occur from the rapid movement of the head or from direct impact with hard surfaces within the vehicle, like the steering wheel or windshield.

Given the dynamics of a vehicle collision, these types of injuries can affect a significant number of individuals involved in accidents, making them highly prevalent. In contrast, while fractured ribs, burns from airbag deployment, and spinal cord injuries are indeed serious and can occur in accidents, they are not as universally prevalent as whiplash and traumatic brain injuries, which result from common crash scenarios. Therefore, the prevalence and nature of the injuries place whiplash and traumatic brain injuries at the forefront of common accident-related injuries.