AIR BAG EFFECTIVENESS SHOWN IN TWELVE CONTROLLED CRASHES

CORNELL AERONAUTICAL LABORATORY HAS CONDUCTED PERFORMANCE TESTS OF AIR BAGS RETROFITTED INTO 12 CARS CRASHED AT 30 AND 90 DEG ANGLES. FRONTAL COLLISIONS WITHOUT BRAKING RESULTED IN THE GREATEST PROTECTION. ANGLE IMPACT TENDED TO PRODUCE HEAD-WINDOW ENCOUNTERS. A DUMMY CHILD SEATED BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND RIGHT-HAND PASSENGER DUMMIES DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY BENEFIT FROM THE AIR BAGS IN EITHER FRONTAL OR ANGLED COLLISIONS. SINGLE AIR BAGS PROVED INEFFECTIVE AGAINST PELVIC ACCELERATIONS; A SECOND BAG FOR THE KNEES, INSIDE THE LARGER ONE FOR THE CHEST, IS RECOMMENDED. TESTS WITH TWO SMALL CARS REVEALED THAT BAG INFLATION WAS EITHER TOO SOFT OR TOO HARD. ALTERNATIONS IN BAG AND SET DESIGN ARE SUGGESTED. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DUMMIES ARE GIVEN.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 79, No 7, PP 15-19, 10 FIG
• Authors:
  • MARTIN, J F
  • ROMEO, D J
• Publication Date: 1971-7

Media Info

• Serial:
  • SAE Journal of Automotive Engineering
  • Volume: 79
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Angularity; Crash tests; Crashes; Dummies; Energy absorbing materials; Impacts; Performance tests; Testing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Angles
• Old TRIS Terms: Energy absorbers
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221381
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/HS-009649
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 1 1971 12:00AM