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This paper summarizes work relating to the assessment of societal benefits of side impact protection. National Crash Severity Study (NCSS) and National Accident Sampling System (NASS) accident data technigues were reviewed with respect to the reliability of output information concerning the distribution of side impact accidents by impact severity and relationships between injury and impact severity. NCSS and NASS are confounded by errors and inadequacies, primarily as a result of improper accident reconstruction based upon the CRASH computer program. Based on review of several sample cases, it is believed that the NCSS/NASS files underestimate Lower severities and overestimate higher severities in side impact, with delta-V errors probably overestimated by 25-30 percent in the case of the more serious accidents. These errors cannot be properly quantified except on a case-by-case basis. They introduce unknown biases into NCSS/NASS.

Computer-aided crash reconstruction has become common-place in the automotive safety profession, primarily because of widespread distribution of software under public auspices. The SMAC (Simulation Model of Automobile Collisions) program, for instance, is available through NHTSA at nominal cost. This paper exhibits some of the limitations and strengths of accident reconstruction simulations, with illustrations and emphasis drawn from the SMAC program. In particular, some coarse physical approximations used and some coding errors incurred in the formulation of SMAC are discussed, together with their respective effects on the accuracy of prediction. Revisions of the basic SMAC coding have been developed at BYU to overcome these shortcomings. Results of uncorrected and revised SMAC simulations are demonstrated by comparison with the physical theory. Comments regarding a new SMAC program just completed under U.S. Government contract are presented where appropriate.

An engineering analysis of vehicle braking is presented in terms of the utilization of available road friction. Physical relations are derived which allow the determination of optimum brake force distribution on front and rear wheels as a function of axle loading. Ideal braking distribution curves are shown for a typical vehicle in the loaded and unloaded conditions. A technique is suggested for rational design of braking system parameters. It is applied to the case of a two-stage proportioning system, and is validated by experimental data from tests using a specially equipped light truck. It is concluded that a proper design analysis can establish a combination of braking system parameters which results in improved utilization of available friction. A simple, self-adjusting brake proportioning system can be a highly cost-effective safety device for truck use.

The Simulation Model of Automobile Collisions (SMAC) computer program has seen more than a decade of use under NHTSA auspices. Although SMAC has proven itself to be a useful investigative tool, the program has several shortcomings which either have been addressed by the authors or need to be addressed by further work. This paper presents the results of our ongoing work to improve SMAC and our recommendations for further work. Those model features discussed herein which either have been or need to be revised consist of (1) the calculation of crush forces when penetration is deep (2) the representation of the vehicles' crush pressure vs deflection relationship and (3) the distribution of tire normal forces in reaction to pitch and roll. An input interfacing program called SMACED has been written and is discribed. This editing program greatly simplifies the use of SMAC and will be found particularly useful for the inexperienced or infrequent SMAC user.