Investigating the Effects of Side Airbag Deployment in Real-World Crashes Using Crash Comparison Techniques

This paper, from a conference on crash injury control, reports on a study that investigated side airbag (SAB) deployment in near side crashes and that compared injuries and contact points between occupants with and without SAB deployment. The authors used National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) 2000-2008. They selected near side cases, with PDOF ± 20 degrees from 90 or 270, for non-pregnant adult belted occupants, finding 20,253 SAB deployments for analysis. NASS showed that SABs have been increasing within the fleet, comprising 2% of all airbags in 2000 and increasing to 33% of all airbags in 2008. The authors developed a three-step methodology to pair Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) cases in order to study the effects of deployment on occupant outcome. The results showed that occupants with deployed SAB had reduced occurrences and severity of head and face, neck and cervical spine, and thoracic injuries as well as fewer injurious contacts to side components including the door, a-pillar, and window sill. SAB deployment was statistically significant for reducing occupant MAIS and Injury Severity Score (ISS) and thorax airbags were statistically significant for reducing thoracic and neck/cervical spine injury severity. The average ISS with SAB deployment was 21, while the average ISS of those without was 33. The authors conclude that side airbags are effective in reducing fatalities and injury severity for occupants in near side impacts. They also comment on the progression in airbag design, with larger and more numerous airbags in more recent vehicle models providing more protection.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/19432461
• Corporate Authors:

  Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM)

  P.O. Box 4176
  Barrington, IL  United States  60011-4176
• Authors:
  • Loftis, Kathryn L
  • Weaver, Ashley A
  • Stitzel, Joel D
• Conference:
  • 55th Annual Scientific Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine
  • Location: Paris , France
  • Date: 2011-10-3 to 2011-10-5
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 81-90
• Monograph Title: Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine. 55th Annual Scientific Conference, Paris, France, October 3-5, 2011
• Serial:
  • Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine
  • Volume: 55
  • Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM)
  • ISSN: 1943-2461

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Crash injuries; Fatalities; Injury severity; Occupant kinetics; Occupant protection devices; Occupant vehicle interface; Side air bags; Vehicle occupants
• Identifier Terms: Injury Severity Score; National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data System
• Uncontrolled Terms: Head and neck injuries
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I84: Personal Injuries; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01357659
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 29 2011 1:44PM