FALLS AND EJECTIONS FROM PICKUP TRUCKS

The medical records of 50 patients who sustained injuries during falls or ejections from pickup truck beds and were admitted to the University of New Mexico Level I Trauma Center between January 1985 and December 1989 were retrospectively examined. Falls and ejections commonly involve young adults, and usually occur in the summer months during the afternoon or evening. Twenty-three individuals were thrown from the pickup truck bed during a motor vehicle collision and 27 simply fell out, and this distinction was not related to age or ethanol use. Although those thrown from the pickup truck bed during a crash were less severely injured (average ISS 15.4) than those who simply fell from the bed (average ISS 17.4), this difference was not statistically significant. Mortality was equal in these two groups, with three deaths occurring in each group. Overall, injuries incurred during falls and ejections were more serious than those incurred in MVCs (average ISS 16.5 vs. 14.5, p = 0.06). The head was the most frequently injured body region following falls or ejections (68%), followed by the extremities (46%), the face (28%), the thorax (22%), and the abdomen (10%). Every death in this series was attributed to a head injury. The overall mortality for the series was 12%. Sixteen additional fatalities from falls and ejections during the study period were discovered in a review of the records of the State Medical Examiner. The average age of this cohort was 24 years. Fifteen of these deaths were the result of falls rather than ejections (94%), and 13 were attributed to head injuries (81%). Although falls and ejections from pickup trucks are not common accidents, the severity of injuries produced in a largely pediatric population may argue for protective legislation. The frequency and lethality of head injuries may make the mandatory use of helmets a reasonable injunction, but because the utility of helmets, passenger restraints, and cabcovers are undocumented, the simple prohibition of passengers from cargo spaces might be more effective.