Collision Parameters from Real-Life Car/Motor Cycle Accidents A Basis for Future Standards

The collision type is an essential criterion for assessing an accident. The more frequently a certain impact configuration of motor cycle and car occurs, or the worse the consequences of the accident turn out to be for the motor-cyclist, the more important it is to consider whether it is possible to increase the safety of these critical points by passive safety elements.

In this paper the collision types are examined on the basis of 528 accidents between a motor cycle and a car, and 14 collisiontypes of them are presented which characterise the accident with regard to frequency and consequences. They are intended to serve as the basis for defining crash tests necessary for working out passive safety elements and which, in addition, provide a picture of the details of real-life accidents in Germany.