INDIANA Traffic Occupant Protection Strategies

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INDIANATraffic Occupant Protection Strategies

• Crash Dynamics

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Newtons Law of Motion

• A body at rest or in motion at a constant speed
  in a straight line will continue to do so unless
  acted on by an outside force
• The outside force
• Can be harmful (e.g., the steering wheel,
  windshield, pavement, etc.)
• Can be designed to protect (e.g., seat belt or
  child restraint system)

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Collisions in a Crash

• The vehicle collision

The human collision
The internal collision
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Crash Forces

• Weight x Speed Restraining Force
• 10 lb x 30 mph 300 lb of restraining force

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Types of Crashes

• Frontal
• Lateral (Side Impact)
• Rear-end
• Rollover

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Frontal Crashes

• Most frequent type, but not always the most
  severe
• Common injuries to unrestrained occupants
• Cuts and bruises to the head and face
• Injuries to larynx, liver, and spleen
• Fractures of the skull, spine, and ribs

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Kinematics

• Frontal impact

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Lateral (Side Impact) Crashes

• Typically the most deadly type of crash due to
  less crush space
• Minor differences in number of fatalities between
  left and right side
• Common injuries include
• Chest/pelvic injuries
• Facial/skull fractures

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Kinematics
Side Impact
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Rear-end Crashes

• Common form of collision typically involves
  frontal collision
• Resulting injuries include
• Cervical fractures
• Stretching/tearing of neck ligaments and tendons
  (whiplash)
• Properly set head restraint can decrease risk of
  injury

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Kinematics
Rear Impact
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Rollover Crashes

• Rollovers side to side and vaults
• Severity of injury depends upon number of
  rotations, etc.
• Often cause ejection
• Ejected occupants are four times more likely to
  be killed

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Survivability

• Many factors determine injury outcome (crash
  type, size, weight, and speed)
• Restraint systems are designed to protect from
  crash forces most likely to occur
• Seat belts and air bags are your Best Chance of
  Survival

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Module Wrap-Up

• An object in motion remains in motion at the
  original speed until acted on by an outside force
• Three collisions vehicle, human, internal
• Four types of crashes frontal, lateral,
  rear-end, rollover
• Weight x Speed Restraining Force

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End of Module Two

• Questions?