Citation

Kallieris D, Mattern R. Proc. IRCOBI 1974; 2: 171-183.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1974, International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Frontal collisions of automobiles at relatively low velocities often result in serious if not lethal thorax injuries of not safety-belt protected front-seat passengers when crashing against the steering-wheel or dash-board.

The wearing of safety-belts may help to prevent the crashing of the upper part of the body against one of these interior instruments and is therefore suited to eliminate injuries caused by these instruments. At the same time, however, the belt becomes now the bearing-surface area of the thorax and can therefore be a cause for thorax injuries itself. But the expected injury risk should, by all means, be smaller due to the special cushioning characteristics of the belt. When wearing a safety-belt the upper part of the body is included in the deceleration of the vehicle.

Because of the steadily increasing numbs of people wearing safety-belts in road traffic it has become important to investigate in series the tolerance limit of the thorax when crashing against the safety belt during frontal collisions.