The study examined the relationship between EuroNCAP ratings for body region protection and real world injury risk for 653 belted drivers in frontal crashes. It was also able to comment on further improvements in crash protection for post-EuroNCAP cars. In-depth crash injury data collected by the UK Co-operative Crash Injury Study (CCIS) was used (Mackay et al, 1985) to compare the injury outcomes in real-world crashes with the predicted levels of injury protection provided by EuroNCAP. The CCIS data are sampled on vehicle age, vehicle damage and injury outcome. To be included in the database, the crash must have included at least one car that was at most seven years old at the time of the crash, was towed away from the crash scene and contained an injured occupant. The data are also collected within a stratified sample which is biased towards 'fatal' and 'serious' injury outcome crashes. Of all crashes occurring in the geographical sampling regions, approximately 80 % of all fatal and serious crashes, and 10 - 15 % of slight injury crashes are investigated. Crashes that occurred between 1995 and 2002 were analysed. In the sample of 653 crashes studied, the AIS 3+ head injury rate was just 1 %, compared to a 4 % rate for the chest. The upper leg AIS 2+ rate was 6 %, the lower leg AIS 2+ rate was less than 1 % and the AIS 2+ rate for the ankle/foot was 6 %. This indicates that, in modern vehicles, protection for the head is good, which agrees with previous research. Regarding life threatening injury, chest protection should take the priority. In terms of injuries which cause impairment, protection for the upper leg and ankle/foot should be considered. By comparison, lower leg protection appears to be good in this sample of crashes. The EuroNCAP body region scoring system reflects trends in real crash injury risks to all body regions, except for the chest, where there is no clear trend. More generally, further development in the testing regime could usefully concentrate on a restraint system test and the use of smaller dummies seated appropriately, rather than an increase of the test speed.
Factors related to serious injury in post-NCAP european cars involved in frontal crashes
Faktoren, die mit schweren Verletzungen in Europäischen Autos (post NCAP), welche in Frontalzusammenstöße involviert sind, in Zusammenhang stehen
2004
19 Seiten, 15 Bilder, 14 Quellen
Conference paper
English
Factors Related to Serious Injury in Post-NCAP European Cars Involved in Frontal Crashes
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