[An innovative software for emergency diagnostics of injury severity at a traffic accident scene]

Abstract

Aim of the study: With respect to the restricted diagnostic possibilities at an accident scene and the limited time for decisions essential for survival, this project dealt with severe injuries with an abbreviated injury scale (AIS) 3-6 in traffic accidents. The objective was the development of a diagnostic aid that can be used directly at the accident site.

Methods: The analysis was based on data from the GIDAS (German in depth accident study) files from the years 1999-2006. To investigate the accident parameters and to draw up the injury risk functions a multivariate regression analysis of 5,010 traffic accidents was performed.

Results: For the 20 most prevalent severe injuries of passenger car drivers and front seat passengers the cumulative influence of clearly evident factors was depicted and the combined likelihood was calculated. For the utilization at the accident scene software has been developed to display these likelihoods in a simple and comprehensible manner.

Conclusions: At the accident scene crucial diagnostic indications can be acquired with simple observation and a software-assisted analysis.