ACIR STUDIES VOLKSWAGEN CRASHWORTHINESS

CORNELL AERONAUTICAL LABORATORY'S AUTOMOTIVE CRASH INJURY RESEARCH PROJECT HAS EXTENDED ITS EXAMINATION OF THE SMALL CAR-LARGE CAR SYNDROME TO A STUDY OF THE BEHAVIOR OF THE VOLKSWAGEN AND ITS OCCUPANTS IN RURAL INJURY ACCIDENTS IN 30 STATES. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DESCRIBE THE OBSERVED BEHAVIOR OF THE VOLKSWAGEN IN SUFFICIENT DETAIL TO FORM JUDGEMENTS AND SUGGEST AREAS WHERE DESIGN CHANGES MIGHT BE MADE TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE CAR. THE OVERALL CRASHWORTHINESS OF 879 VW TWO-DOOR SEDAN "BEETLE" MODELS AND INJURY PATTERNS OF THEIR OCCUPANTS WERE COMPARED WITH 26,673 OTHER IMPORTED AND AMERICAN CARS IN ACTUAL INJURY ACCIDENTS ON RURAL HIGHWAYS. DETAILED ACCIDENT AND INJURY DATA WERE SUPPLIED VOLUNTARILY TO ACIR BY COOPERATING STATE POLICE, PHYSICIANS, HOSPITALS AND OTHERS. THE FINDINGS OF THE VOLKSWAGEN STUDY ARE DISCUSSED.

• Corporate Authors:

  N/A

  ,   United States 
• Publication Date: 1969

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Review
  • Publisher: N/A

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compact automobiles; Crash injury research; Design; Rural highways; Traffic safety; Vehicle safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Change
• Old TRIS Terms: Small car; Vehicular safety
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223028
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: pp 4-6
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 9 2003 12:00AM