A prospective study of injury patterns, outcomes and costs of high speed frontal versus lateral motor vehicle crashes.

Data showed that even though the mean Injury Severity Score (ISS=27±10 F vs. 30±16 L) was not different in 36 frontal (F) vs. 19 lateral (L) impact crashes, frontal crashes produced more facial lacerations, lower extremity injuries, shock, sepsis and a higher incidence of pulmonary, cardiac, renal and multiple organ failures than lateral crashes.