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Abstract
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Injury reduction for automobile accidents through vehicle safety design is a long-sought goal which is now beginning to reduce the daily toll of our highways. The highway death toll in 1970 decreased to 55,200 from 56,500 in 1969. Admittedly the causes for this decrease cannot be precisely determined but most authorities believe that improved vehicle safety design is in part responsible.
In 1966 the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was passed establishing the Department of Transportation following the federal government to establish motor vehicle safety standards. This legislation was necessary because the automotive industry as a group had resisted the introduction of reasonable vehicle safety designs and devices.
Thirty-four standards have been introduced beginning January 1, 1968 as a result of this law. Fourteen are directly concerned with the protection of the occupant. These fourteen standards are based on our current but meager knowledge of injury causation and prevention.
An initial step in injury reduction research is the determination of injury mechanisms through in-depth examination of highway accidents. It is necessary first to determine the particular cause of each specific injury before the vehicle can be modified to reduce or prevent the injury. The combined disciplines of medicine and engineering are necessary to make these determinations. Detailed examination of the injured occupant; of the interior and exterior damage of the accident vehicle and of the environment; and knowledge of the vehicle structure, crash performance and operating characteristics are necessary to accurately reconstruct an accident. The determination of vehicle and occupant kinematics is essential for accurate determination of injury mechanisms. |