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An analysis of vehicle tip stability in NHTSA Side Impact New Car Assessment Program (SINCAP) tests was conducted in order to better understand the causes of possible tip-over in such a test, and the potential relationship to occupant safety. Analyses were conducted of accident data involving light passenger vehicle rollovers. SINCAP tests conducted at several facilities with SUV-type vehicles were reviewed. A computer simulation model of the SINCAP test was developed and used to analyze the effects on vehicle tip-over of variations in vehicle and test facility parameters. It was found that fatal accidents involving “multi-vehicle rollover” (ie, SINCAP like conditions) were the least frequent among four accident types examined; and that SUV’s had the lowest fatality rate in such accidents, among the four vehicle types examined.

An updated evaluation of the effects on predicted injuries of an example crush protective device (CPD) proposed for application to All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) is described. As in previous evaluations, this involved extending and applying the test and analysis methods defined in ISO 13232 (2005) for motorcycle impacts, to evaluate the effects of the example CPD in a sample of simulated ATV overturn events. Updated modeling refinements included lowering the energy levels of the simulated overturn events; accounting for potential mechanical/ traumatic (compressive) asphyxia mechanisms; refining and calibrating the force-deflection characteristics of helmet, head, legs and soil so as to reduce potential over-prediction of head and leg injuries; and calibrating the simulation against aggregated injury distributions from actual accidents.