According to the CDC, there are at least 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries (TBI) every year. 

Motor vehicle crashes accounted for 25.0% (2016) and 24.5% (2017) of all TBI related hospitalizations.  These crashes are the leading cause of deaths by TBI among children and young adults. 

But not all TBIs result in death.  An estimated 5.4 million people in the US live with disabilities associated with a TBI.  The lifetime cost to care for a severe TBI survivor is estimated to be over $4 million.

80% of TBI cases, however, are classified as a mild TBI.  In a motor vehicle collision, a TBI can result from a bump, blow, or jolt to the head.  A TBI can also be the result of a non-contact head injury.  According to the CDC, these sudden movements can cause:

• the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull
• result in chemical changes in the brain
• stretching and damaging of brain cells

Often times, people believe that a concussion can only occur if the head hits something and if there is a loss of consciousness.  This is not true. 

Recent research has revealed that the whipping motions of an impact can cause sufficient rotational acceleration to injure the brain. This is seen in many different situations including sports, falls, and minor vehicle collisions.