THE NEW AUTOMOBILE WINDSHIELD AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING FACIAL LACERATIONS

FACIAL LACERATIONS FROM HEAD IMPACT TO THE NEW AUTOMOBILE WINDSHIELD ARE MARKEDLY REDUCED IN NUMBER, EXTENT, AND SEVERITY. PREVIOUSLY, WHEN THE PRE-1966 THINNER LAMINATE WINDSHIELD WAS IMPACTED BY THE HEAD, SLICING LACERATIONS WERE TYPICALLY FOUND. HEAD IMPACT TO THE NEW WINDSHIELD WILL TYPICALLY PRODUCE ABRASIONS AND SMALL LACERATIONS OF THE FOREHEAD AND NOSE THAT OFTEN DO NOT REQUIRE SURGICAL CLOSURE. ONLY RARELY IS THE LAMINATE OF THE NEW WINDSHIELD TORN. WHEN THIS DOES OCCUR, THE HEAD-TO-GLASS IMPACT SPEED IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT REQUIRED TO PERFORATE THE OLD THIN LAMINATE WINDSHIELD. IN THOSE FEW CASES WHERE THE THICKER LAMINATE IS TORN BY THE HEAD, SLICING LACERATIONS ARE SUSTAINED; BUT THESE TEND TO BE LESS EXTENSIVE AND LESS SEVERE THAN THOSE PREVIOUSLY NOTED ON THE OLD TYPE OF WINDSHIELD. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE INCIDENCE OF INTRACRANIAL OR NECK INJURY IS INCREASED BY STRIKING THE NEW WINDSHIELD. /SRIS/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 41, No 6, PP 554-559, 7 FIG, 8 REF
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109

  Depts Anatomy and Surgery

  ,    

  St Joseph Mercy Hospital

  ,    

  Dept Plastic Surgery

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Huelke, D F
  • Grabb, W C
  • Dingman, R O
  • Oneal, R M
• Publication Date: 1968

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Excavations; Face; Head; Impacts; Injuries; Neck; Reduction (Chemistry); Windshields
• Old TRIS Terms: Reduction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223175
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 15 1970 12:00AM