INVESTIGATION OF A REPRESENTITIVE SAMPLE OF REAL WORLD SIDE-IMPACTS TO CARS

The objectives of the research were to collect and analyse a sample of side-impacted cars or car-derivatives in which at least one car occupant was slightly or more severely injured. One of the objectives was to closely define the area from which the side impacts were studied, so that conclusions might be drawn, which could be related to the national picture of injury producing side-impacts. In the first part of the report entitled: epidemiology, the gross statistics of side-impacts are investigated. The data pertain to the time and location of the accident, the striking object, the location of damage to the car(s) involved, age, sex and seating position of occupants. Such data concerning the epidemiology of side-impacts have been compared with that relating to the other car-occupant-injury accidents occurring in the same area, and differences and similarities are presented. In Part 2: vehicle characteristics, the vehicles involved in side-impacts are examined, analyses are presented of the structural performance of many parts of the car, the typical damage configuration encountered and the efficacy of safety-related devices such as anti-burst door locks. Part 3: injuries and their sources, injury information from hospital notes and from either postal questionnaires or personal interview has been collected for casualties involved in a side-impact. Where possible, the injury source is determined and the patterns of injury are presented. (TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  Birmingham University, England

  Accident Research Unit
  Birmingham B15 2TT, Warwickshire,   England 
• Authors:
  • Griffiths, D K
  • Breen, J M
  • THOMAS, P D
  • LAWSON, S D
  • Mackay, G M
• Publication Date: 1983-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 252 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Behavior; Crash analysis; Crashes; Data collection; Design; Economic efficiency; Epidemiology; Equipment; Females; Human beings; Injuries; Location; Loss and damage; Measures of effectiveness; Safety; Safety equipment; Side crashes; Statistics; Time; Traffic crashes; Vehicle components; Vehicle occupants; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Causes; Effectiveness; Efficiency
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1757: Age; 9001: Behaviour; 9003: Cause; 1354: Components of the vehicle; 1614: Damage; 8623: Data acquisition; 9011: Design (overall design); 5911: Efficiency; 3674: Equipment; 2163: Injury; 9061: Location; 1787: Man; 1665: Safety; 1630: Side impact; 6555: Statistics; 5414: Time; 1255: Vehicle; 1715: Vehicle occupant; 1788: Woman
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Design; Economics; Highways; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I84: Personal Injuries; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00394602
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1985 12:00AM