Obesity and age as factors in leg amputations in fatal motorcycle crashes

Abstract

The autopsy files at Forensic Science South Australia were searched over an 11-year period from January 2008 to December 2018 for all cases of motorcycle fatalities in which there had been lower-limb amputations. Six cases were identified, consisting of five male riders and one female pillion passenger. The age range was 48–67 years (average 59 years), which was significantly older than the control group (40.6 years; p < 0.01). All the decedents were overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) of 28.7–43.5 kg/m2 (average 34.9 kg/m2), which again was significantly greater than the control group (28.8 kg/m2; p < 0.05). Five of the incidents involved a collision between a motorcycle and a motor vehicle; the remaining case involved a collision with a tree. Five of the amputations were on the right side in the motorcycle-vehicle impacts, and they varied in severity from loss of a foot to a hind-quarter amputation. There was a single left lower-leg amputation which occurred during the collision with a tree, which was beside the road on the motorcyclist’s left. This study has shown that motorcyclists at greatest risk of lower-limb/pelvis amputations are older than the average rider with higher BMIs. This may be significant information given the increase in both BMI and age in many populations.

The effect of age on injury patterns in pedestrian deaths

“…For example, 43% to 51% of accidental deaths in childhood are associated with crashes. 7 The nature and degree of injuries that occur are also dependent on body size and body mass index 8 with children, who are shorter than adults, tending to sustain injuries higher up on their bodies. In addition, they are more likely to be projected forwards away from the vehicle rather than scooped up over the hood as with adults.…”