Passenger Protection from Front-End Impacts

Scientific methodology and engineering techniques were applied to a series of thirteen automobile collision experiments involving the front-end impact exposures of full-size passenger vehicles rear ending identical sedans. The purpose was to evaluate the relative protective merits of seat designs, steering columns, windshields, restraints and general interior surface design with respect to the many variables common to front-end impacts. The front-end collisions reported in this paper provide additional design data for protection of motorists from collision-injuries for the wide range of exposure speeds from 10 through 55 mph.