Vehicle and Occupant Factors that Determine Occupant Injury

The actual injury incurred by a vehicle occupant in a given crash is determined by many factors. The large number and wide variation of these factors make it difficult to design widely effective vehicle safety features and to evaluate accident data. These factors can be classified into two groups: vehicle-related factors which determine the deceleration pulse applied to the occupant compartment and consequently the potential for injury, and occupant-related factors which determine the actual injury incurred for a given injury potential.

The relationships among the vehicle-related factors (velocities, masses, crush and rebound characteristics) which determine injury potential are analyzed. It is shown that the injury potential can be estimated for actual crashed from some of the better defined vehicle-related factors.

Computer-simulation results for injury-related criteria as a function of occupant-related factors over the range of injury potential of interest are given. The analysis results in conclusions applicable to many areas of automotive safety.