Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Practice Test

Bilateral femur fractures are most often associated with which type of motorcycle crash?

1. Angular impact

2. Bike-road impact

3. Head-on impact

4. Rear impact

The correct answer is: Head-on impact

Bilateral femur fractures are most often associated with head-on impact motorcycle crashes due to the mechanics of how the body interacts with the motorcycle and the ground during such a collision. In a head-on crash, the rider typically experiences significant forward momentum and is likely to be thrown forward or come into contact with rigid objects, such as the ground or another vehicle. This force radiates through the body, particularly affecting the lower extremities, where the femur, being a major weight-bearing bone, is likely to sustain fractures due to the high-energy impact. Additionally, head-on impacts often result in a more severe distribution of force through the body compared to other types of collisions, leading to a higher incidence of both unilateral and bilateral femoral fractures. Other types of impacts, such as angular or rear impacts, may produce different injury patterns that do not predominantly involve bilateral femur fractures to the same extent.