THE PRESENT STATE OF ACCIDENT RESEARCH AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF VEHICLES

DER GEGENWAERTIGE STAND DER UNFALLFORSCHUNG UND DIE AUSWIRKUNG AUF DIE FAHRZEUGENTWICKLUNG

CONSTRUCTIONAL SAFETY MEASURES (IN VEHICLES) ARE DESCRIBED IN RELATION TO SOME FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS, NAMELY THE AREAS OF ACTIVE SAFETY, VEHICLE STRUCTURE, AND PROTECTION OF OCCUPANTS AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS. ACTIVE SAFETY HAS UNDOUBTEDLY IMPROVED IN THE LAST 10 TO 20 YEARS; THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE HOWEVER TO SOME EXTENT ATTRIBUTABLE TO IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRAFFIC ENVIRONMENT. CONCERNING STRUCTURAL MEASURES IN THE VEHICLE IN RELATION TO THE PROTECTION OF OTHERS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS, IT IS CLEARLY SHOWN THAT FOR MANY YEARS THE OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN TO OPTIMIZE THE VEHICLE SO AS TO GIVE THE GREATEST PROTECTION TO THE OCCUPANTS. IN SO DOING, HOWEVER, THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS OF OTHER, SMALLER VEHICLES HAS BEEN NEGLECTED. FUNDAMENTAL DIFFICULTIES LIE IN THE FACT THAT THE PROTECTION OF OTHERS INFLUENCES THE VEHICLE STRUCTURE, AND THAT THERE IS A LEAD-IN TIME OF 5 TO 8 YEARS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF VEHICLES. IN THE SECTION DEVOTED TO PASSIVE SAFETY MEASURES, THE PRINCIPAL TOPIC IS THE EFFECT OF USING SAFETY-BELTS ON THE SEVERITY OF INJURIES. A REALISTIC RULE OF THUMB, MAKING ALLOWANCE FOR THE OFTEN FAR FROM IDEAL USE OF SAFETY-BELTS, IS THAT A REDUCTION IN FATAL INJURIES OF FROM 30 TO PROBABLY 50 PER CENT, AND A REDUCTION IN SERIOUS INJURIES OF 50 PER CENT MAY BE ASSUMED. THE OCCURRENCE OF INJURIES AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE USE OF SAFETY BELTS IN SERIOUS ACCIDENTS MUST CERTAINLY BE ACCEPTED, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF DANGEROUS AND FATAL INJURIES. FINALLY, THE PROBLEMS OF MOTOR-CYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED.

• Authors:
  • DANNER, M
• Publication Date: 1976

Language

• German

Media Info

• Pagination: 22-45
• Serial:
  • 14. DEUTSCHER VERKEHRSGERICHTSTAG 1976
  • Publisher: DEUTSCHE AKADEMIE FUER VERKEHRSWISSENSCHAFT E.V., DEUTSCHES VERKEHRSWISSENSCHAFTLICHES SEMINAR

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Crashes; Manual safety belts; Motorcyclists; Passive restraint systems; Pedestrians; Prevention; Safety; State of the art reports; Traffic; Vehicle occupants; Vehicles
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1661: Accident prevention; 1243: Car; 1752: Motorcyclist; 1733: Pedestrian; 9149: Prevention; 1466: Restraint system; 1665: Safety; 1476: Safety belt; 8588: State of the art report; 755: Traffic; 1255: Vehicle; 1715: Vehicle occupant
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I80: Accident Studies; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01300391
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Nov 21 2010 7:49AM