Are spinal injuries common in car accidents?

Your body takes a beating in a car accident. There are many injuries you could sustain, but spinal injuries may be among the scariest.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine explains there are certain types of accidents and situations that can make spinal injuries more likely and certain areas of the spine more prone to damage in accidents.

Regions more likely to sustain injury

The lumbosacral area of the spine is most often where injuries from car accidents occur. While spinal cord injuries may get a lot of attention, they are not as common. Injuries in the lumbar area will often also include organ injuries.

Position in vehicle

If you are the driver of a vehicle, you are more likely to suffer a spinal injury than passengers. In addition, lumbar injuries are most often seen in the driver.

Type of accident

The type of accident most likely to result in spinal injuries is a rollover. The extreme nature of such an accident offers little ability to protect yourself during the crash, which is part of the reason why this type of accident is more likely to lead to such serious injuries.

Motor vehicle accidents occur regularly. While most are minor, if you end up in a serious accident, you may find yourself with a spinal injury. Based on research, you have the highest chance of a serious spinal injury if you are driving the vehicle and have a rollover accident. Of course, every situation is different, so there is always a potential for severe injuries in any accident situation even if it does not follow the research.