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This paper presents an analytical evaluation of unrestrained drivers of light trucks, vans, and multi-purpose vehicles (LTV's) in frontal crashes. Of particular interest was modelling of impact with the steering assembly. The baseline condition was simulated and steering assembly improvements introduced to project estimates of benefits from these countermeasures. Compartment and steering assembly properties were collected for 15 LTV's representing the current LTV population. Computer model input sets were developed for simulating unrestrained driver frontal impacts with the steering assembly. The PAssenger And Driver Simulation (PADS) model was employed for the simulations. The baseline 15 LTV “fleet” was modeled in different frontal crash situations and compared to accident statistics. Countermeasures were introduced and estimates of benefits projected.

There is little or no doubt that air bags save lives in accidents. Passenger side air bags are generally effective safety devices; however, in special cases there are damaging side effects. Damaging and unintended by-products of [passenger side] air bags include, but are not limited to, injuries such as abrasions, broken bones, and damaged knees. Passenger air bags are especially threatening to short people (generally under 4' 10”), to those who allow the passenger seat to be placed too close to an air bag, to various size children, and especially to rear-facing infants. Placing the passenger seat too close to an air bag can be classified as “misuse.” Misuse also include those who may place their feet on the dash, and then either lose, or have legs severely damaged when the air bag deploys. Even though air bags were designed to take into account as much of the population as possible, anomalies do exist.

This paper summarizes the results of research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to determine how changing vehicle design parameters influence child restraint performance. Initial research consisted of surveying late-model vehicles' interior design characteristics as they pertain to child restraint systems. The next step involved dynamic evaluation of booster seats with respect to injury/excursion criteria measured on child test dummies under conditions which illustrated the changing vehicle design characteristics. Belt-positioning booster seat tests were conducted to evaluate the effect of belt type (lap/shoulder belt vs lap only belt) on seat performance. Differences in small-shield booster behavior when used with lap only belt or laplshoulder belt combinations were established in another series of tests. Another study demonstrated how varying seat back rigidity changed small-shield booster test results.

This paper presents information on analytical procedures being developed to characterize a “baseline” vehicle fleet in frontal crashes. A newly developed analytical model is being implemented for this characterization. The Passenger/Driver Simulation model (PADS) can simulate unrestrained and restrained driver and passenger occupants in frontal crashes. The “baseline” characterization started with the selection of representative passenger car make/model groupings. Each grouping has similar structural and interior characteristics. The PADS model is being run in an automated mode simulating these vehicles in different frontal crash configurations. The output of the PADS runs includes measures of injury severity and the cause of the injury. The PADS output obtained in these automated runs will be compared to field accident data. Since the analytical procedures and tools are still being refined, this paper focuses on the methodology and its implementation rather than the results.

This paper presents information on analytical procedures being developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to assess the safety problem associated with occupants of passenger cars involved in frontal impacts. This analytical assessment started with the characterization of a baseline vehicle fleet consisting of specific make/model passenger car groupings representative of the in-use fleet in the United States. Newly developed analytical models have been developed and are being run in an automated mode simulating these vehicles in different frontal crash configurations. The output of these automated runs includes measures of injury severity and cause of injury, and is being used to identify the effect of different vehicle attributes on injury causation. Preliminary analytical results are presented on the relationship between steering assembly structural attributes and injury severity.

Calspan Corporation, under contract with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, developed improvements to the belt systems and compartment of a 1979 Plymouth Horizon and 1981 Plymouth Reliant. In addition, in subsequent model years, Chrysler incorporated structural modifications into the Reliant to improve the crash performance. An unmodified Horizon had previously been subjected to car-to-car crash tests into a Ford Mustang and a Chevrolet Citation at 70 mph closing velocity and both the Horizon and Reliant had undergone barrier crash tests at 35 mph. Certain parts of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 injury criteria, measured on Part 572 dummies in driver and front seat passenger positions, were exceeded on at least one of the dummies in both Horizon car to car tests and the Reliant to barrier test.