Auto-Pedestrian Collision Experiments

Auto-pedestrian accidents -- one of the most important factors in motor vehicle deaths and injuries -- were studied with the precise techniques of full-scale accident simulation.

Thirty-eight anthropometric dummies, instrumented with triaxial accelerometers, were impacted under representative auto-pedestrian exposure conditions. Among the conditions under study were the pedestrian blow by the striking vehicle and the pedestrian's corresponding body gyrations, displacements and subsequent pavement contacts varying with the size and speed of the impacting vehicle; the portion of the front end contacting the pedestrian; the direction the pedestrian was facing when impacted; the pedestrian height, and his walking or standing postures. Other factors under study concerned the relationship that vehicle braking and special vehicle structures bear to auto-pedestrian injuries.

Thirty special photographic devices provided coverage for data reduction and documentary film production. Post-impact observations provided data of considerable value in accident reconstruction.