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Low-speed sideswipe collisions between tractor-semitrailers and passenger vehicles can result in large movements and extensive areas of visible damage to the passenger vehicle. However, depending on the specifics of the collision, the resulting crash pulse may be extended, and the vehicle accelerations correspondingly low. Research regarding the impact environment and resulting injury potential of the occupants during these types of impacts is limited. Five full-scale crash tests utilizing a tractor-semitrailer and a passenger car were conducted to explore vehicle responses during these types of collisions for both the passenger car and the tractor-trailer. The test vehicles included a loaded van semitrailer pulled by a tractor and three identical mid-sized sedans. Instrumentation on the sedans included accelerometers and rotational rate sensors, and the vehicle and occupant kinematics were recorded using onboard and off-board real-time and high-speed video cameras.

Low-speed sideswipe collisions between tractor-semitrailers and passenger vehicles may result in large areas of visible damage to the passenger vehicle. However, due to the extended contact that occurs during these impacts, it is typical in these incidents for the crash pulse duration to be long and the vehicle accelerations to be correspondingly low. Research regarding the impact environment and resulting injury potential of the occupants during these types of impacts is limited. Five full-scale crash tests utilizing a tractor-semitrailer and a passenger car were conducted to explore the occupant responses during these types of collisions. The test vehicles included a van semitrailer pulled by a tractor and three identical mid-sized sedans. The occupants of the sedans included an instrumented Hybrid III 5th -percentile-male anthropomorphic test device (ATD) in the driver's seat and an un-instrumented Hybrid III 5th -percentile-female ATD in the left rear seat.