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The effects of Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD) from low speed rear-end collisions (REC) have been reported in the medical, scientific and engineering literature for several decades. Given the method of analysis, results have varied regarding the nature, onset and severity of spinal injury. While previously conducted laboratory crash tests have advanced the understanding of occupant dynamics from RECs, concern over investigative methodology and experimental artificiality remains. The purpose of this study is to determine if any relationship existed between specific occupant characteristics, vehicular acceleration and the onset and severity of WAD. Ninety-five subjects involved in real world RECs are selected from an active database. Data is collected over an 18-month period. Fifty-nine subjects are females and 70% of the subjects are drivers.

This study was conducted to compare vehicle speed change and acceleration data from full scale testing to results generated by the Simulation Model Non-linear (SIMON) vehicle dynamic simulation model (version 2.0) within the Human Vehicle Environment (HVE) software. The study also sought to expand the body of existing curb impact tests and compare the present results to data from published literature. The results of the full scale testing of a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup are presented. Instrumented tests were performed at speeds up to approximately 6.7 m/s (15.0 mph) and at approach angles of 90° and 45°. SIMON was used to simulate the full scale testing conducted by the authors. The simulation results, including primarily vehicle speed change (delta-v), and accelerations are compared to the results of full scale testing. The appropriate method for modeling curb profile within SIMON version 2.0 was studied and is presented in this paper.

Accident reconstruction specialists have long relied on post-crash deformation and energy equivalence calculations to determine impact severity and the experienced change in velocity during the impact event. In order to utilize post-crash deformation, information must be known about the vehicle's structure and its ability to absorb crash energy. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), have created databases with crash testing data for a wide range of vehicles. These crash tests allow reconstruction specialists to determine a specific vehicle's ability to absorb energy as well as to generalize the energy absorption characteristics across vehicle classes. These methods are very well publicized.