DETERMINATION OF INJURY MECHANISMS FROM FIELD ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

THE CAUSES OF INJURY AND DEATH IN AUTOMOBILE COLLISIONS ARE DISCUSSED. THE NATURE OF EJECTION INJURIES ARE DESCRIBED. THE BENEFITS OF LAP SEAT BELTS AND LAP SHOULDER BELTS ARE DISCUSSED AND THE NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DOOR LATCH-STRIKER MECHANISM IS INDICATED. STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN RANK HIGH AS ONE OF THE CAUSES OF INJURIES. THE NATURE OF THE INJURIES AND THE ENERGY ABSORBING STEERING ASSEMBLY IS DESCRIBED. A REDUCTION IN FACIAL INJURY HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW TYPE OF HIGH PENETRATION RESISTANT LAMINATED WINDSHIELD. INSTRUMENT PANEL RELATED FACIAL INJURIES ARE DESCRIBED. DECREASED SEVERITY OF INJURY HAS BEEN NOTED WHEN THE UPPER INSTRUMENT PANEL IS PADDED AND BETTER CONTOURED. SIDE IMPACT INJURIES ARE DETAILED. INSTALLATIONS WHICH HELP PREVENT SUCH IMPACTS ARE DISCUSSED. THE ROLLOVER CRASHES EXPOSE THE UNRESTRAINED OCCUPANT TO EJECTION OR TO MORE IMPACT SURFACES WITHIN THE VEHICLE THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF CRASH. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PREVENTION OF SIGNIFICANT ROOF CRUSH WILL RESULT IN REDUCED INJURY SEVERITY. THE NEED FOR CONTINUED ACCIDENT/INJURY DATA GATHERING IS INDICATED.

• Corporate Authors:

  Automotive Safety Seminar

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Huelke, D F
• Publication Date: 1973-6

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash investigation; Injuries; Instrument panels; Manual safety belts; Steering wheels; Windshields
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00222252
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 17 1973 12:00AM