A pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle shows a pattern of parallel linear abrasions on the lower back, with the epidermis curled and heaped up at the lower end of the grazes. This finding indicates the victim was:
- A Dragged along the road surface ✓
- B Thrown upward onto the vehicle
- C Struck and fell backward
- D Struck while facing the vehicle head-on
Correct answer: A. Dragged along the road surface
Explanation
Gravel rash or brush abrasions with epidermis curled and heaped up at one end indicate the direction of movement across a rough surface. The curled epidermis points opposite to the direction of force. If the curl is at the lower end, the body was dragged upward or the force moved from above downward. In pedestrian-vehicle accidents, dragging along the road produces these characteristic grazes.
Reference: Simpson's Forensic Medicine, 13th ed.
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