Car crashes kill tens of thousands of Americans every year. Here in Oregon roughly 312 people were killed in Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2015. According to CBS, Motor Vehicle crashes and other "Accidents" are the fourth leading cause of death in the united states. These frightening statistics are why we spend millions of dollars on trying to make the roads and vehicles safer, but what if there was another way to prevent injuries in car crashes? It turns out there might be. We as a species can evolve to survive car crashes.
Meet Graham. Graham has already evolved to survive car crashes. He looks strange, but he should survive most car crashes.
Graham is an amazing example of how us humans have evolved to protect our species, but it turns out he isn't real. Graham was created by the Australian Government to use as a tool to educate people about the dangers of car crashes. Here are some of his features:
Neck: The vast majority of my clients suffer some neck injury if they are in a car crash. In a crash the head keeps on moving while the body stays in place. This causes the neck to strain and flex in a manner it wasn't intended to do. This is why most people will have a sore neck for a couple of days after a car crash. However, some people suffer cracked vertebrae, herniated discs, and it can even break. A broken spinal column can cause paraplegia or quadriplegia. Recognizing that the neck was a weak point in the body, Graham evolved to not have a neck anymore.
Face: Facial injures can be common. Their is minimal tissue to absorb impact, so even low impact crashes can result in broken facial bones. Graham's extra fatty and flat face helps absorb and disperse the energy from an impact.
Skull: Head injuries are common in car crashes. Many times the head will suffer trauma from bouncing off of the steering wheel, the side post, or the side window. This can occur even if the person is seat belted in. These head injuries can be fatal, as they can damage the brain. Graham has evolved to have a skull shaped like a helmet that will absorb more impact earlier. He also has "crumple zones" in his head.
Brain: Brains are tossed around inside your skull in a car crash. This causes damage to the brain. Many times this brain damage is irreperable. Graham has evolved to survive a crash without a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Ribs: Ribs are often cracked or strained in a car crash. This is because they absorb much of the energy as the body is pressed against the seat belt in a crash. Broken ribs are very painful, but they can cause serious injuries if they fracture. Fractured ribs can puncture lungs and other vital organs that can cause serious injury or death. Graham evolved to have more nipples and fatty tissue around the ribs, so that the chest became an, "airbag instead of armour."
Graham also has tough thick skin, his knee joints rotate 360 degrees and his feet and ankles are built to survive being hit by a vehicle. If you want to learn more about Graham and the project go to the link: Meet Graham
If you haven't evolved to survive a car crash and were injured in a car crash, please call Portland Oregon Personal Injury Attorney Jeremiah Ross. Ross Law LLC is happy to provide you a free personal injury consultation. Please call 503.224.1658 for your free personal injury consultation.