Children and Youth : Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Motor Vehicle Crashes

The number one cause of death for American youths is the motor vehicle crash (cars, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, others). As the automobile became popular among humans, motor vehicle crashes became the major cause of death and disability among children and adolescents. Research initially focused on the physical trauma that motor crashes induced, but eventually the psychological toll of these crashes in the pediatric population became appreciated including the sequela of post-traumatic stress disorder.

This book "Children and youth: Post-traumatic stress disorder and motor vehicle crashes" explores various issues of this far-reaching problem in 21st century life. We look at a historical reflection from the 20th to the 21st century as society became more aware of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and vehicular crashes affecting the pediatric population, demographics including current as well as past national crash statistics, factors involved in dangerous driving, PTSD assessment concepts, PTSD differential diagnoses and comorbidities, psychological impact of PTSD, issues for teachers, PTSD and resilience, and management principles for PTSD. We conclude with potential concepts of future predictions, including the emerging role of artificial intelligence.