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Re: Steering Wheel sizes

To: "Andrew Weaks" <awboat@intelos.net>, <ShearSAVVY1@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel sizes
From: "MonteMorris" <mmorris@nemr.net>
Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 21:42:30 -0500
Let's hope the wheel Shears off :-)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Weaks" <awboat@intelos.net>
To: <ShearSAVVY1@aol.com>
Cc: <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 5:07 PM
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel sizes


> Ugh, I am going to quit driving.
>
> ShearSAVVY1@aol.com wrote:
>
> > Hi everyone,
> > I've been following this thread on injuries related to steering wheels
and
> > wanted to add my 2 cents for what it's worth.  I've worked on a medevac
> > helicopter in Conneticut and at University of Maryland's Shock Trauma
Center
> > in Baltimore, MD.  I have seen the immediate aftermath of many fatal and
> > near-fatal MVAs and I endorse the earlier statement which read along the
> > lines of "if you've impacted the wheel hard enough to splinter it,
you've got
> > bigger problems than those splinters."  A rapid deceleration can produce
> > forces strong enough to shear the aorta; blunt trauma arising from
contact
> > with something like the wheel will regularly result in flail chest,
> > pneumo/hemothorax and hemopericardium.  In these instances massive
internal
> > bleeding, or puncture of the lung)s) can culminate in circulatory
collapse
> > and hemorrhagic shock/respiratory arrest.  The truth of the matter is
that if
> > you impact the wheel hard enough to deflect it you've met statistical
> > criteria which place you in the same fatality risk as if your passenger
died,
> > you had 3 foot or greater vehicle incursion, etc. - in other words
you're
> > SOL.  The best thing to do if you want to maximize your chances for
survival
> > are to fit a steering column which telescopes and collapses under
impact -
> > not the rigid rod type.
> > Regards,
> > Bill Shear

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