Minimizing Injury in Road Safety

Side Impact Crashes • Roadway and Infrastructure

Presenter: Rob Kaufman BS • Driver Behavior
Crash Investigator
CIREN Seattle • Vehicle Design
CIREN - Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network – Crashworthiness

CIREN on the Web

Quarterly Presentations
CIREN Electronic Cases (Queries)
Injury Mechanism Themes
Crash Injury Research and Annual Reports
Engineering Network
www.hiprc.org
www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov

CIREN Goals

• Provide data on injuries occurring in real world

crashes
• Provide feedback on vehicle safety design for:
– Auto manufacturers
– FMVSS
Real world laboratory of motor vehicle crashes created by • Provide outreach and training
NHTSA in 1996. • Determine and document specific injury mechanisms
Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center is one of 10
trauma centers contributing to the network. ( NHTSA funded )

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 Crash
Trauma
Biomechanics
Surgery
& Engineers

CIREN
SEATTLE

In the real world, it is real people - not crash test dummies.

CIREN was created to learn and document real world Epidemiology
injuries.

Traffic Safety Facts for Side Impacts SIDE IMPACTS

• In 2002 side impact crashes represented 26% of all
fatal collisions
– second only to frontal crashes
• Estimated total of 782,000 nonfatal and 9812 fatal
injuries.
– For surviving occupants
• Chest injuries in 39.7%
• Head injuries in 25%
• Pelvic injuries in 11.7%
• Abdomen injuries in 8.4%
(Traffic Safety Facts, 2002, NHTSA, US Department of Transportation, DOT HS 809 Intrusion increases occupant contact and
100, Dec, 2000, p 106)
severity of injury

Side impact standard improvements Lateral Impact Mechanism Reviews

SS214 Intrusion = Injury
Bilateral
Thorax Abdominal LateralPelvis Pelvis Combination

Use of side impact beams in doors

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 Results – NASS MAIS v Door intrusion Side Impact Intrusion
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NASS Max
AIS vs door intrusion
5
Maximum injury AIS

- Lateral door intrusion

1 y = 0.05x + 1.6
R2 = 0.9
- Chest and pelvis
8” 12” 16”
0 injuries occurred
0 20 40 60 80
Door intrusion (cm )

Door panel intrusion = 45 cm/17.7inches

Lower Lateral Door Intrusion
Contact evidence on door and center
console

Potential for pelvic fractures

to occur Door intrusion with a raised center console

Moderate and serious pelvic injury in nearside Light Truck Vehicle (LTV)
crashes by magnitude of intrusion and Side Impacts
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
3<8 cm 8<15 cm 15<30 cm 30<46 cm 46<61 cm >=61 cm

Consoles No console LTV vs. compact/economical

Tencer A., Kaufman R., Mack C., Mock C. Factors affecting pelvic & Some bumper heights create an upper door panel contact
thoracic forces in near-side impact crashes: a study of US-NCAP,
NASS, and CIREN data. Accident Analysis and Prevention, In Press

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 Increasing LTV-Car Fatalities Intrusion = Injury
NHTSA research paper#307-Summers, Hollowell,Prasad

Chest and head injuries may occur from

greater bumper height of LTV

Side impact crash test Side Impact - Vehicle Mismatch

- Front Seat Passenger

- Elderly person
- Lap/Shoulder belt
- Struck by a large pickup
- Lateral Direction of Force

Height of striking truck at chest and head

Upper door panel intrusion Upper door panel intrusion

into chest and head Case review

Sedan struck by large pickup truck

End View

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 Injuries Acierno S, Kaufman R, Mock C, Rivara F, Grossman D. Vehicle
mismatch: Injury patterns and severity. Accident Analysis and
Prevention 39 (2004) 761-772.
AIS Region LTV Front into Side
2 Head
3 Head Passenger Vehicle

4 Chest

2 Abdomen

2 Abdomen

ISS = 29 AIS > 2

Side Impact - Abdominal Injuries Abdominal Injuries Observed

(associated with the armrest) - Side impacts appear to
Abdominal increase the risk of abdominal
injuries
- The stiffness and geometry
of the door panels along with
the protruding components, Armrest
such as the armrest appear to
become forced into the
abdomen of the occupant.

Direct contact source for critical head injuries

Head Injuries
C C

A F A
D D

B E B
E

A- A pillar D- Window sill

B- B pillar E- Door panel
Nirula R, Mock CN, Kaufman R, Rivara FP, Grossman D. C- Roof side rail F- Windshield Header
Correlation of head injury to vehicle contact points using Crash
Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) data. Accident
Analysis and Prevention, 35: 201-210, 2003.

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 NHTSA Proposed Standard

Side
Airbags
Provide
Head
Protection

Side Airbag Door Mount Side Airbag

cement art structure Head Protection
P

Rolled
N
2

rearward
and light impact
to back bumper
light pole 1 cm = 2.5 M
2

2
2000 Sedan struck by large LTV
P P
Subject - Front Right Passenger Main protection to upper thorax, but extends
P P
enough upward for some head protection

Injury Summary
Head Injuries to Children in Side Impacts
Upper chest and head appear to be protected by door mounted
side impact airbag considering an LTV upper door impact. Remember that children are exposed to more
surface area for head contact in crashes.

Serious injuries
occurred from
intrusion

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Children that are
seated in vehicles
expose themselves to
more surface area for
head contacts
Adults head contacts Case review
will occur to the
greenhouse structure
(roof and roof pillars)
Young child
Front right passenger
Manual lap, motorized
shoulder belt used

Interior Contacts Larger Vehicle and Side Impacts

Large vehicle types vs. compact/economical

Serious head injury to child from contact

This becomes head CIREN Case Review

contacts for children

90’s Ford
20 mph Delta V
Side View End View PDOF = 60
Struck by large pickup

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 Critical Head Injuries
Side Impact Case review

Child
Back right seat - fully
restrained
Sleeping with head
against door
40 cm of intrusion at door panel, window sill

Deformation from head contact

Head Injury Summary Inflatable Curtain

- Serious Brain Injury, AIS = 5

• The 6ft 6ins long bag

is just over a foot
deep and more than
2-inches thick
• Booster seat may
allow children
End View benefit of side airbag
40 cm of intrusion at door panel, window sill

Deformation from head contact

Side impact with children in

booster seats Thank you &
Please Buckle Up
Everyone!!!!!

Side impact
Locate more CIREN info at:
with minimal
head injury to
child in booster Head positioned
www.HIPRC.org &
seat above door interior
www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov