At-Risk Activities

Motor vehicle accidents are the largest cause of spinal cord injuries in the United States, with SUV rollover accidents making up the majority of motor vehicle incidents that result in paralysis. Other activities that increase the risk of spinal cord injury include automobile accidents resulting from defects, all terrain vehicle accidents, trampoline accidents, sports related accidents, falls, and violence.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

It’s estimated that close to 50 percent of all spinal cord injuries are a result of motor vehicle accidents. Because of stability and handling issues, SUV rollovers account for a significant number of those accidents. SUVs were originally designed for off-road driving, and their high center of gravity makes rollovers more likely than in cars or vans. When an SUV rolls over, the roof intrudes into the passenger area of the car, causing severe injury and sometimes paralysis. Car and all-terrain vehicle rollovers can also cause significant spinal cord injury.

Automobile Defects

While rollovers cause the most spinal cord injuries, other automobile defects are also causes. These include:

  • Lack of head restraints
  • Insufficient head restraints
  • Poor seat design
  • Incorrect installation of child car seat
  • Poor design of child car seat
  • Seatbelt failure
  • Seatback collapses
  • Airbag failure
  • Failure of door and lift gate latches
  • Suspension defects
  • Tire tread separations

Other At-Risk Activities

In addition to accidents involving automobiles, there are other activities that increase the risk of spinal cord injury and paralysis. These include: 

  • Trampoline accidents
  • Falls, especially in those 45 years of age and older
  • Violence, such as knife and gunshot wounds
  • Sports injuries, mostly diving accidents