Browse Topic: Override / underride crashes
The impact configuration has a strong influence on the rear seat survival space intrusion pattern during severe rear-impact collisions. The relative contributions of rear seat pan forward intrusion versus rear seatback intrusion vary depending on the nature of the crash. In underride impacts, the rear wheels are pushed forward into the occupant survival space from below, causing the rear seat-pan to move forward and upward relative to the vehicle interior. Conversely, override impacts tend to produce direct seatback intrusion into the rear compartment. This study used a validated computer model from the NHTSA website to simulate various types of rear compartment intrusions under different impact configurations. The analysis also assessed structural countermeasures designed to minimize occupant survival space intrusion. The results demonstrate that underride impacts primarily drive the forward motion of the rear wheels into the structure, establishing load paths that lead to structural
Severe rear-impact collisions can cause significant intrusion into the occupant compartment when the structural integrity of the rear survival space is insufficient. Intrusion patterns are influenced by impact configuration—underride, in-line, or override—with underride collisions channeling forces below the beltline through the rear wheels as a primary load path. This force concentration rapidly propels the rear seat-pan forward, contacting the rearward-rotating front seatback. The resulting bottoming-out phenomenon produces a forward impulse that amplifies loading on the front occupant’s upper torso, increasing the risk of thoracic injury even when the head is properly supported by the head restraint. This study analyzes a real-world rear-impact collision that resulted in fatal thoracic injuries to the driver, attributed to the interaction between the driver’s seatback and the forward-moving rear seat pan. A vehicle-to-vehicle crash test was conducted to replicate similar intrusion
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