Accident statistics in Germany have shown that in the last decade fatalities due to road accidents have dropped by more than 30 %. In collaboration with the ADAC (German Automobile Club) the Institute for Vehicle Safety (IFM) conducted a retrospective study of airbag accident material. Engineers and medical doctors analysed almost 700 topical cases involving airbag-equipped cars. The evaluation of the airbag database focuses exclusively on passengers wearing seta belts. Data concerning the following issues are discussed: 1. Injuries to the restrained driver in frontal collisions with front airbag deployment. 2. Injuries to the restrained front seat passenger in frontal collisions with front airbag deployment. 3. Side/head airbag accidents. 4. Airbag aggressivity. The study verifies the great protection effect of the airbag not only for the driver but for the first time for the front seat occupant as well. In severe frontal collisions with airbag deployment, serious to fatal injuries were 21 % lower for the belted driver and even 28 % lower for the belted front seat passenger than in comparable accidents without airbags. In the case of restrained drivers involved in frontal accidents with airbag deployment, the most frequent injuries were to the thorax region and the lower extremities. The injury patterns lead to the conclusion that the frequency of serious injury could be further reduced if the airbag and the belt system would be optimised with respect to restraint of the pelvis and thorax. Initial experience gathered with side airbags indicates an additional protection effect.
The protection effect of the airbag - field experience in Germany
Der Schutzeffekt von Airbags - Felderfahrungen in Deutschland
16 Seiten, 4 Bilder, 15 Tabellen, 10 Quellen
Conference paper
English
The protection effect of the airbag - field experience in Germany
Automotive engineering | 2002
|The Protection Effect of the Airbag - Field Experience in Germany
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2002
|Field experiences with airbag systems in Germany
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1996
|Experience With Airbag-Equipped Cars in Real-Life Accidents in Germany
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1996
|