Rear-End Impact Testing with Human Test Subjects

Low speed rear-end aligned bumper-to-bumper impact tests were conducted. Bullet vehicle impact speeds ranged from 3.2 – 10.5 kph (2.0 – 6.5 mph) and produced target vehicle changes in velocity ranging from 2.4 – 7.2 kph (1.5 – 4.5 mph). Seven human volunteers participated in the testing. The volunteer group included both male and female subjects ranging in age from 29 to 61 years. All participants were considered to be in good health prior to the start of the testing. Two test subjects were seated in the target vehicle and one subject drove the bullet vehicle for each of the seven tests. Occupant kinematic response was monitored via videotape and test subjects were interviewed immediately post-impact to record subjective impressions. The majority of the participants experienced no symptoms or injury as a result of this testing. Three of the participants that had multiple exposures had minor neck stiffness, but not pain, that resolved without treatment in one day. The vehicle restitution response was analyzed. The results indicate a coefficient of restitution in the range of 0.3 to 0.5 for the range of impact speeds and vehicles tested. The duration of impact was found to be in the range 0.090 – 0.124 seconds.