Automotive medicine:
Many lives have been improved by the motorization of vehicles, but these benefits come at a price. Roadside traffic accidents have been a significant health concern in developing countries. Even though drivers' mortality rate in high-income countries like the United States of America indicates a downward trend in the past few decades. The lives lost in automotive accidents are still a significant concern in this era. Automotive medicine was the term coined to tackle such roadside accidents and focuses on taking measures to ensure the perseverance of life in case of emergency.
Medical roadside assistance:
Roadside assistance is a great way to plan for unseen events and keep you calm if you get a flat tire or if your car breaks down. Similarly, medical roadside assistance is a great way to ensure that no life is lost if your breaks didn't work. Faster response and better medical care should be the sole goal in mind. The medical roadside is just as crucial as a fine-tuned car, protocols that are in place to ensure drivers' safety need to be updated for the better. THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF AUTOMOTIVE MEDICINE is an international organization devoted to the advancement of roadside assistant.
Factors involved in automobile accidents:
There are many factors involved when a journey ends up in a crash, and a life is lost. These factors vary significantly from state to state and can cause fatal incidents.
The type and number of automotive crash deaths differ extensively among the American states. The population has a noticeable effect on the number of driver casualties. A number of factors affect these rates, including type of vehicles, vehicle speed, traffic laws, and the automotive medicine care capabilities.
The type of vehicle involved is an excellent factor in such situations. Pickup trucks and SUVs are challenging to maneuver, which makes them difficult to keep under control. They are heavier and sturdier but lose mobility under load. Cars, on the other hand, offer greater mobility but have less protection; they are made to be lightweight, which makes them vulnerable to impacts.
Fatality Facts of 2019 show the state by state crash statistics along with their causes.
Alaska showed a more significant percentage of accidents involving SUVs and pickup trucks and lower car driver’s mortality. On the other hand, Vermont presented higher car deaths in contrast to SUVs and pickups.
Modified cars are a great source of thrill and excitement for the American population. As fun and stimulating it may sound, tuning dodge charger is not that safe and may cause incidents. Vehicle modification is in the trend, which is followed by a significant number of people.
Involvement of alcohol in the automotive industry is never a good idea. Blood alcohol concentration is reported in some states for a small percentage of vehicle drivers. In 2019, North Dakota's state showed that 41% of the drivers in fatal car crashes had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 % or greater.
The use of a seatbelt is generally recommended when in a motor vehicle but seldom followed. According to the nationwide surveys conducted in 2019, the percentage of vehicle occupants wearing restraint was 91%. The drivers in the state of Hampshire showed only much as 71% of seatbelt use. Seatbelts may not look like much protection, but they offer great restrain upon impact and can save you from a head or neck injury.
Racing competitions:
Car racing has been there since the invention of automobiles. The records for car races can be found as early as 1867. These events were performed to prove that car was a practical way of transport, but later on, they transformed into a way of demonstrating machines by manufacturers. There are different categories of events that can be characterized under automotive racing. The open-wheel races including Formula One and Indy car racing. Touring car racing, sportscar racing, production car racing, one-make racing, time attack racing, stock car racing, rallying, drag racing, and off-road racing are just a few of the types of racing competitions that go on all around the world.
The inherently dangerous nature of these automotive racing has cost a lot of people their lives. These competitions were awfully dangerous in the early years, but with the advancement in technology and the medical assistance at car competitions, life's risk has been significantly reduced. Medical response teams available at such events have to be swift and effective to perform their duty well enough.
Breathtaking accidents have often been the cause of increased security parameters and, in many cases, even rules changes. The worst-case being that of Pierre levegh at the Le Mans in 1955, when a fatal car crash killed over 80 spectators and injured over a hundred. Automotive medicine has to be developed to stop such disasters from repeating.
Medical assistance at car competitions:
Car racing competitions are a great source of entertainment for the American population. People cheer and enjoy the raw power of vehicles racing through the tracks. The thrill of being in that beast of a machine is just what they need. But these competitions are not always that safe. Even after significant development in security measures, these events still have a substantial risk of casualties. This is why automotive medicine development and improvement being significant.
Medical assistance at car competitions has to be fast, precise, and effective due to such incidents' nature. These competitions have cars with highly flammable fuels which combust rather quickly, making rescue difficult.
Avoiding car/automotive accidents:
There are a lot of measures that be taken to avoid accidents that may otherwise prove fatal. Medical roadside assistance can only be so fast. There have to preventive measures in place to prevent the incidents in the first place. These measures involve products and mechanisms that either help steer accurately or halt the vehicle in its place in case of an accident.
Brakes:
Older vehicles require continuous maintenance, and some components can even be upgraded for better performance. Power stop breaks are a great choice in this category, not only for older but new vehicles too. As fast or as powerful a car, maybe it is not much effective if it can not be controlled effectively if the brakes are not good enough. Car brakes are the only thing standing between
Power stop brakes offer great control over the car steering. There are many cases where cars with outstanding performance crashed because of low-quality brakes. It's best recommended that you use break mechanisms with suitable materials and better torque controls.
Throttle tuning:
Tuning your throttle for better control over the gas pedal is an excellent way of reducing incident risk. Pedal commander or Diablo tuner are perfect options if you are looking for a controlled gas pedal or performance chip tuner. Pedal Commander allows better control over the vehicles. It offers different mods, including city, sports, sport+, and eco. The Diablo Tuner can increase acceleration or decrease gas throttle sensitivity to save gas.
Better control over your gas pedal results in better steering, which dramatically reduces the chance of an incident occurring or makes it less fatal, just enough for medical roadside assistance to arrive.
Improving driver health:
The health of the vehicle occupant is a critical factor in dealing with roadside traffic accidents. This is where automotive medicine comes. Medical examiners have the authority to prescribe visual or hearing aid to drivers that might need it. The physical fitness of the car driver is very important in preventing automobile crashes.
The Section § 391.41 ensures the safety of auto drivers by providing that they are physically fit. According to this section, a person with an established history of heart disease, respiratory disorder, blood pressure, mental disorders, low visual acuity, and muscular dysfunction can not drive a commercial motor vehicle.
Off-road car racing is often seen as daring and dangerous; that's because it is. There is always a chance of the car losing control and get tossed aside. Off-road racing circuits often pass through ponds or trees. Cars can get stuck in them and are difficult to move. Rescue services usually have a hard time dealing with vehicles that have been pushed way off-road and down in the worst-case scenario are upside. There is also the case where the car is sitting in the middle of the road. Truck winches prove to be a great help in such cases; they can quickly get the driver out of the vehicle and contact him/her to safety. However, such winches require mandatory installation of reinforced certified EAG bumpers or similar manufacturers, as well as other additional safety devices. At the same time, research has shown that specially prepared off-road vehicles are considered safer and their drivers are less likely to seek medical help in an ambulance or hospital.
Those who like to carry a weapon while traveling should opt for a gun car holster or truck gun rack. It can be of great assistance while driving, and in the case of an incident, the gun car holster will keep the weapon in place and prevent it from accidentally going off. So, be mindful of state laws and keep the gun holstered in your gun car holster or gun rack.
All in all, the automotive industry has yet to reach horizons that are unimaginable right now. With the advances in vehicle practices and advancing technologies, the need for better automotive medicine is equally important. The U.S. currently houses 331 million people that are always looking to drive a car. Tuned cars an excellent attraction for the younger as well as, the older generation. These cars have their thrill and excitement, but it comes at the driver's cost of security. Sensitive throttles, high acceleration, and lighter bodies make the vehicle difficult to control.
This is why automotive medicine needs to improve by leaps and bounds. Better medical care means fewer casualties and a better mortality rate. Although the advancement in security and technology has compensated for medical assistance, it can never replace it.
Given below is the fatality rate of drivers per hundred thousand in the U.S from 1990 to 2018:
Automotive medicine is an integral part of the automobile industry; a fast response to a roadside accident or a racetrack crash is compulsory to prevent loss of life. Quick medical response to any traffic accident is instrumental in avoiding any casualties. Awareness about this field is equally important, so organizations like the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine are working continuously to make the industry a better place.
Medical assistance is the only thing standing between a life saved or a life lost. This sentence should be enough to ascertain the importance of automotive medicine.
Resources
• United States Department of Transportation.
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
• Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute