Injury Severity, Ejection, and Occupant Contacts in Passenger Car Rollover Crashes

Ejection from a motor vehicle has been considered a hazardous event with the belief that occupant impacts outside of the car are the injury causing event. Analysis of NCSS data, and of Washtenaw County, Michigan crashes indicates, that more than half of the more serious injuries (≥AIS 3) occurred within the car prior to the ejection. Also in rollover crashes, side glass areas are the main portals of ejection, with the major injury being sustained within the car prior to ejection, occurring more often in far side down rollovers.