Deformation Characteristics and Occupant Load Capacity in Lateral Impacts for Nearside Belted Front Car Passengers

382 passenger cars concerning isolated lateral collisions are analysed in this study. The basis are representative traffic accidents investigated in a statistical spot-check plan directly at the site of the accident by a team of scientists of the Accident Research Unit of the Medical University Hannover.

The mechanisms and impact situations responsible for the resulting injuries to the various body regions by side collisions are shown. The different deformation patterns are analysed by a special matrix measurement system. With this system deformation characteristics are established. The injury causation is explained, and the importance of intrusion analysed.

It was analysed that the head, thorax as well as the upper and lower extremeties are the most frequently traumatised body regions in lateral collisions. The most frequent impact is under 35 to 45 degrees from a frontal direction to the compartment located in the region of the A-pillar.

With higher intrusion the severity of the injuries is also increasing. For head injuries the relative movement ist responsible for the injury occurance. An influence of the depth of intrusion could be established for the thorax injuries. With depth of more than 20 cm the possibility of severe injuries MAIS> 1 exists. As a result of the analysis some measures can be called for the adjustment of crash test conditions, for the shaping of the compartment interior and the compatibility between impacted and impacting vehicle.