Occupant-to-Occupant Interaction and Impact Injury Risk in Side Impact Crashes

This study evaluated the risk of impact injury from occupant-to-occupant impacts in side impact vehicle crashes. The study examined 9608 crashes extracted from the National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System (NASS/CDS) for 1993-2006 to investigate the risk of occupant-to-occupant impacts. The study computed relative risk ratio of serious injury (MAIS 3 or greater) for drivers with and without an adjacent front seat passenger present. This approach avoids uncertainties in the coding of occupant-to-occupant contact. The NASS data showed an 8% increased injury risk for struck side drivers in cases where a belted front seat passenger was present. If the front seat passenger was unbelted, struck side driver injury risk was found to be 30% higher than for struck side drivers without a front seat passenger. A series of 6 full scale vehicle side impact crash tests, both mobile deformable barrier to vehicle and vehicle-to-pole, were conducted to assess injury risk and determine the occupant kinematics which led to occupant-to-occupant impact. Limitations of the biofidelity of current anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) to simulate occupant interaction were noted. Occupant interaction indicating risk of serious head injury to both the driver and front seat passenger was observed in vehicle-to-pole side impact. The feasibility of a potential countermeasure, developed to offer protection for two adjacent occupants as well as a single occupant seated on the non-struck side, was investigated through analysis of the dummy injury responses produced in pole side impact tests, with and without the countermeasure installed. The countermeasure was observed to reduce the risk of head injury from occupant interaction.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780768021035
• Authors:
  • Newland, Craig
  • Belcher, Thomas
  • Bostrom, Ola
  • Gabler, Hampton C
  • Cha, Joon-Geun
  • Wong, Hee Loong
  • Tylko, Suzanne
  • Dal Nevo, Ross
• Conference:
  • 52nd Stapp Car Crash Conference
  • Location: San Antonio Texas, United States
  • Date: 2008-11-3 to 2008-11-5
• Publication Date: 2008-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 327-347
• Serial:
  • Stapp Car Crash Journal
  • Volume: 52
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 1532-8546
  • Serial URL: http://www.stapp.org/pubs.shtml

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Countermeasures; Crash injuries; Crash injury research; Crash tests; Dummies; Front seat occupants; Head; Occupant dynamics; Side crashes
• Identifier Terms: Crashworthiness Data System; Maximum Abbreviated Injury Score; National Automotive Sampling System
• Uncontrolled Terms: Head injuries; Occupant-to-occupant interaction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01127820
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780768021035
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 4 2009 10:43AM