Accident Terms and Definitions

PT - Physical Therapy
the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of dysfunction caused by injuries to the soft tissue and muscles/skeleton . Treatment shall consist of therapeutic exercises, education and other modalities, such as the therapeutic use of heat, light, water, electricity, massage & more.

Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL)
Calculated based on the following equation: YPLL = Fixed Age - Age at death. Usually the fixed age is 65 or 70, or the life expectancy of the group in question.

Impaired Driving
Can be alcohol or any oher substance that changes judgement while driving. Impaired driving will affect one in three Americans during their lifetimes (NHTSA 2001a).

Reference Point
In angular momentum, the point in space around which the motion of an object is described. The angular momentum of an object is defined in relation to some point, the reference point. The velocity and radius of an object are measured from the reference point.

Aggressive Drivers (road rage)
Can be describes as: aggressive tailgating,Lights flashed at them because the other motorist was annoyed, aggressive or rude gestures,deliberate obstruction -- preventing them from moving their vehicle,verbal abuse,physical assault and other actions.

Elderly & Older Drivers
Drivers typically 65 or 70 years old, most states require renewal applicants to appear in person and to pass a vision test.

Brake Build-up (Brake Lag)
Occurs just after the brakes are applied and continues until they lock.

Advanced Frontal Airbags
Advanced frontal air bags are designed to meet the needs of the occupant in a variety of specific crash situations. Depending on design, advanced frontal air bag systems automatically determine if and with what level of power the driver frontal air bag and the passenger frontal air bag will inflate.

Soft Tissue Injury
Injuries sustained to the muscle, skin, connective tissue.

Excessive speed & Speeding
Speeding is defined as travelling faster than the posted speed limit, or travelling too fast for the road conditions even at speeds under the posted limit.