(TRAUMA CARE AFTER
RESUSCITATION) SSM TCAR ACTUAL
EXAM PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A
GRADED |CURRENTLY TESTING
Questions 1–10: Kinematics & Mechanism of Injury
Q1. A restrained driver strikes the steering wheel in a frontal
collision. Which injury pattern is MOST associated with this
mechanism?
A) Flail chest and cardiac contusion
B) Spleen laceration and left kidney injury
C) Liver laceration and right rib fractures
D) Cervical spine hyperextension
Answer: A
Rationale: A restrained driver hitting the steering wheel transmits
force to the sternum and anterior chest, causing flail chest,
myocardial contusion, and great vessel injury. Solid organ injuries
,(spleen/liver) are more common with lateral impacts or
unrestrained passengers.
Q2. A pedestrian is struck by a car and thrown onto the hood.
What is the "first impact" injury in this scenario?
A) Head striking the windshield
B) Legs striking the bumper
C) Pelvis striking the hood
D) Chest striking the hood
Answer: B
Rationale: The classic "Waddell's triad" in pediatric pedestrians or
adult bumper impacts begins with the femur/tibia striking the
bumper (first impact), followed by torso/head striking the hood
(second impact), and finally ground impact (third impact).
Q3. Which Newtonian physics principle best explains why a
10-foot fall onto concrete causes more severe injury than a
10-foot fall onto sand?
A) Conservation of momentum
B) Force = mass × acceleration
C) Work = force × distance (increased stopping distance
reduces force)
D) Kinetic energy = ½mv²
,Answer: C
Rationale: The sand increases the stopping
distance (deceleration distance), thereby reducing the force
transmitted to the tissues (Work = Force × Distance). Concrete
stops the body abruptly, concentrating energy into a smaller area
and time frame.
Q4. A driver's side-impact collision (T-bone) at 45 mph is
MOST likely to cause which injury?
A) Aortic transection
B) Contralateral lung contusion
C) Ipsilateral pelvic and acetabular fractures
D) C-spine fracture
Answer: C
Rationale: The force is transmitted directly through the lateral
pelvis and hip, making ipsilateral pelvic ring disruptions and
acetabular fractures classic for side-impact MVCs. Aortic
transection is more common in frontal or rapid deceleration.
Q5. An unrestrained passenger is ejected from the vehicle.
During the "third collision" (internal organ collision), which
organ is most vulnerable to acceleration-deceleration
shearing forces?
A) Liver
, B) Spleen
C) Aorta at the ligamentum arteriosum
D) Kidney
Answer: C
Rationale: The aorta is tethered at the ligamentum arteriosum
and the diaphragm. During rapid deceleration, the mobile aortic
arch shears against these fixed points, causing aortic
transection—the classic fatal deceleration injury.
Q6. A fall from greater than 20 feet (6 meters) is considered a
"high-risk" mechanism. What is the primary injury concern in
adults landing feet-first?
A) C1-C2 fractures
B) Calcaneus, lumbar spine, and femoral neck fractures
C) Pneumothorax
D) Splenic rupture
Answer: B
Rationale: Axial loading from a feet-first fall transmits energy up
the skeleton: calcaneus → ankles → knees → femurs → pelvis →
lumbar spine (specifically L1-L3 compression fractures). This is
the classic "donut" or axial skeleton injury pattern.
Q7. Helmets reduce traumatic brain injury risk primarily by:
RESUSCITATION) SSM TCAR ACTUAL
EXAM PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A
GRADED |CURRENTLY TESTING
Questions 1–10: Kinematics & Mechanism of Injury
Q1. A restrained driver strikes the steering wheel in a frontal
collision. Which injury pattern is MOST associated with this
mechanism?
A) Flail chest and cardiac contusion
B) Spleen laceration and left kidney injury
C) Liver laceration and right rib fractures
D) Cervical spine hyperextension
Answer: A
Rationale: A restrained driver hitting the steering wheel transmits
force to the sternum and anterior chest, causing flail chest,
myocardial contusion, and great vessel injury. Solid organ injuries
,(spleen/liver) are more common with lateral impacts or
unrestrained passengers.
Q2. A pedestrian is struck by a car and thrown onto the hood.
What is the "first impact" injury in this scenario?
A) Head striking the windshield
B) Legs striking the bumper
C) Pelvis striking the hood
D) Chest striking the hood
Answer: B
Rationale: The classic "Waddell's triad" in pediatric pedestrians or
adult bumper impacts begins with the femur/tibia striking the
bumper (first impact), followed by torso/head striking the hood
(second impact), and finally ground impact (third impact).
Q3. Which Newtonian physics principle best explains why a
10-foot fall onto concrete causes more severe injury than a
10-foot fall onto sand?
A) Conservation of momentum
B) Force = mass × acceleration
C) Work = force × distance (increased stopping distance
reduces force)
D) Kinetic energy = ½mv²
,Answer: C
Rationale: The sand increases the stopping
distance (deceleration distance), thereby reducing the force
transmitted to the tissues (Work = Force × Distance). Concrete
stops the body abruptly, concentrating energy into a smaller area
and time frame.
Q4. A driver's side-impact collision (T-bone) at 45 mph is
MOST likely to cause which injury?
A) Aortic transection
B) Contralateral lung contusion
C) Ipsilateral pelvic and acetabular fractures
D) C-spine fracture
Answer: C
Rationale: The force is transmitted directly through the lateral
pelvis and hip, making ipsilateral pelvic ring disruptions and
acetabular fractures classic for side-impact MVCs. Aortic
transection is more common in frontal or rapid deceleration.
Q5. An unrestrained passenger is ejected from the vehicle.
During the "third collision" (internal organ collision), which
organ is most vulnerable to acceleration-deceleration
shearing forces?
A) Liver
, B) Spleen
C) Aorta at the ligamentum arteriosum
D) Kidney
Answer: C
Rationale: The aorta is tethered at the ligamentum arteriosum
and the diaphragm. During rapid deceleration, the mobile aortic
arch shears against these fixed points, causing aortic
transection—the classic fatal deceleration injury.
Q6. A fall from greater than 20 feet (6 meters) is considered a
"high-risk" mechanism. What is the primary injury concern in
adults landing feet-first?
A) C1-C2 fractures
B) Calcaneus, lumbar spine, and femoral neck fractures
C) Pneumothorax
D) Splenic rupture
Answer: B
Rationale: Axial loading from a feet-first fall transmits energy up
the skeleton: calcaneus → ankles → knees → femurs → pelvis →
lumbar spine (specifically L1-L3 compression fractures). This is
the classic "donut" or axial skeleton injury pattern.
Q7. Helmets reduce traumatic brain injury risk primarily by:
