(abbreviated to RDS)
Term for the effects of travelling at great speed and then hitting an immovable object... such as cuts, bruises, broken limbs, paralysis or death.
Originally military slang, but now used by other groups, for example:
Rock climbers: The effects of falling from a great height.
Cyclists: The effects of misjudging a corner and hitting a wall straight on.
Severe Rapid
Deceleration Syndrome or SRDS usually refers to death.
"Is Mike out climbing today?"
"No he took a whipper
yesterday, and he's at home recovering from a case of rapid
deceleration syndrome"
"I need the day off work to go to a friends funeral - he caught a fatal case of RDS while out biking
the other day"