New ProtAct-Us Consortium Paper Published in the Journal of Safety Research
The ProtAct-Us consortium has a new achievement to celebrate: the scientific article “Long-term consequences resulting from road traffic crashes: A scoping review” has been published in the Journal of Safety Research, authored by Manuela Anelli, Mattia Celebrin, Anna Morandi, Cristina Montomoli and Ottavia Eleonora Ferraro (from the University of Pavia) and the ProtAct-Us consortium.
An Under-Researched Area
Most road safety research to date has focused on the factors that precede crashes. What happens afterwards, in the months and years following a crash, in the lives of those who survive it, remains an area with far less available evidence. It was precisely this gap that the research team set out to map.
Through a scoping review, the authors examined literature published between 2010 and 2024 on the physical and mental health consequences experienced long after a road traffic crash. Starting from 419 papers identified across the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases, and following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, the team ultimately selected 35 studies for detailed analysis.
What the Review Found
The results show that chronic pain, functional limitations and psychological difficulties are the long-term consequences most frequently described in the literature, affecting people across different profiles and types of road users. The factors associated with these outcomes were grouped into five broad categories: demographic, clinical, psychological, socioeconomic and crash-related.
One finding stands out: compared with other groups of road users, cyclists generally show better health outcomes after a crash. The review also highlights that the available evidence varies substantially depending on injury severity, individual characteristics and context — and that there are significant gaps in following up with crash survivors beyond the acute phase immediately after the accident.
Why It Matters
For the authors, the findings reinforce the need to view recovery from a road traffic crash as an extended, multidimensional process rather than a short-term medical issue alone. The methodological heterogeneity found across the studies analysed also points to a practical conclusion: future research needs standardised measures and consistent follow-up periods, so that data can be meaningfully compared across studies and countries.
These conclusions carry direct implications for clinical care and public health, underlining the importance of identifying, early on, individuals at higher risk of unfavourable long-term outcomes, and of implementing coordinated approaches that address both the physical and psychological dimensions of recovery.
Read the Full Article
The full article is available open access on the Journal of Safety Research website. We invite everyone with an interest in road safety, to read the complete study:
