Focusing on vehicle related measurements an important step with regard to the protection of pedestrians before and in the event of a collision with a car is the entering into force of the European directive 2003/102/EC. Phase 1 of this directive Iays down a set of passive safety requirements for the car front which has to be passed during the type approval process of new car models since October 2005. Soon the requirements of the current phase 2 of this directive will be replaced by a European regulation which will not only focus on passive safety measures but also introduce active safety aspects in the form of brake assist and encourage driver assistance systems with the aim of the avoidance of collisions or the reduction of accident severity. Based on an analysis of GIDAS data the potential benefit of the brake assist with regard to the reduction of collision severity or avoidance of an accident has been positively estimated. However, there will remain a significant number of collisions with pedestrians where the brake will not be activated by the driver. Consequently passive safety measures will be a requirement as long as a collision can not be surely avoided. The EC directive and the future regulation still do not Iay down requirements for the protection of a pedestrian in the event of an impact against the A-pillar or windscreen frame. Accident data highlight this area as a cause for a large number of severe head injuries of pedestrians. Technical solutions like airbags for the lower windscreen and A-pillar area could be a next step for a further reduction of related injuries and fatalities as soon as reliable sensor systems will be available. Accident data also show that a high proportion of pedestrians is injured in the darkness. Driver assistance systems that help to improve the visibility or recognition of pedestrians under dark conditions could be helpful as well as improved Iight and/or vision systems. However, systems that are able to avoid collision can be seen at the horizon and they could be a step for a significant improvement of road traffic safety not only for pedestrians.
Straßenverkehrssicherheit - Maßnahmen für den Fußgängerschutz
Road traffic safety - measurements for the protection of pedestrians
2006
16 Seiten, 18 Bilder, 17 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Deutsch
Strassenverkehrssicherheit - Massnahmen fuer den Fussgaengerschutz
Kraftfahrwesen | 2006
|Forschungsprogramm Straßenverkehrssicherheit
SLUB | 1997
Forschungsprogramm Straßenverkehrssicherheit
SLUB | 1997-1997
|