Characteristics of injuries in cyclists injured when other vehicles collide with the side of the body of moving bicycles

BACKGROUND: Bicycle injuries, as a separate type of traffic accidents, require forensic medical examinations to establish the mechanism, duration, and severity of injuries. Forensic medical aspects of cycling injuries are insufficiently covered in the literature.

AIM: To study the nature and features of the injury formation in cyclists who sustained injured when other vehicles hit the side of the moving bicycle.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The results of forensic medical examinations of 51 cyclists who died when the moving bicycles collided with the side of vehicles.

RESULTS: The most frequently observed injuries in cyclists are traumatic brain injury (21.56%) and combined injuries, namely, head and chest (15.68%), lower extremities with trauma to the head, and chest (11.76%). Nearly all deceased cyclists sustained damage to the head (96.0%), which was characterized by the formation of a severe contusion of the brain with fractures of the parietotemporal and occipital bones. Damage to the chest and chest cavity organ was also observed frequently (50.69%). Rib fractures were noted in 74.2% of cases. Injuries to the abdominal organs were detected in 20.15% of the cases, such as liver rupture and hemorrhage in the ligaments of organs. Diaphyseal comminuted fractures of the bones of the lower leg and femur were also observed.

CONCLUSION: The most common types of injuries in deceased cyclists in a side collision of other vehicles with a moving bicycle are traumatic brain injury and combined injuries of the head, chest, and fractures of the bones of the lower extremities in combination with a head and chest injury. Damage to the head was characterized by the formation of linear, depressed, and comminuted fractures of the parietal–temporal and occipital bones. Damage to the chest was characterized by fractures of the upper ribs and bruises of the lungs. Damage to the skin, resembling a picture of a “road rash,” was noted on the anterolateral body parts.