Citation

Kullgren A, Ydenius A, Tingvall C. Int. J. Crashworthiness 1998; 3(4): 335-346.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper presents results from real life collisions, collected in a unique data collection system, where the crash pulse has been recorded in the impact phase. Since 1992, approximately 100,000 crash recorders have been installed in vehicles, and about 300 crash pulses have been recorded. A crash test is also presented involving two vehicles of different design and performance in narrow offset impacts. Narrow offset impacts or impacts with small overlap, are here defined as impacts with an overlap of less than 30%, which often result in glance-off. Severe narrow offset collisions are characterised by high closing velocity, a fairly low change of velocity, but major intrusion and high intrusion velocity. For most car models the main part of the energy absorbing frontal structure is not engaged in narrow offset impacts. Narrow offset impacts account for a large part of fatalities and severe injuries and has to be addressed to a higher extent. Existing standard crash tests do not address the performance of the vehicle construction in this type of impact. Results show that the percentage of moderately and severely injured drivers was higher in impacts with an overlap below 30% than in impacts with an overlap of more than 30%. It is also shown that the frontal structure is important for the performance in narrow offset impacts. The reconstructions of these collisions are discussed.

Language: en