Carl C. Clark

HELMET USE, PATTERNS OF INJURY, MEDICAL OUTCOME, AND COSTS AMONG MOTORCYCLE DRIVERS IN MARYLAND

A comprehensive study was conducted of all motorcycle traffic crashes occurring in Maryland during a one-year period. All available medical and cost data were linked with police crash reports. During the study period, 1,900 motorcycle drivers were involved in crashes. The data indicated that (i) helmet usage was 35% overall, 30% among fatally injured drivers, and only 16% among drivers with a history of drug/alcohol conviction, (ii) unhelmeted drivers seen at an emergency department were almost twice as likely to have sustained head injury (40%) as were helmeted drivers (21%) (the corresponding percentages for hospitalized drivers were 55% and 38%), and (iii) acute care cost for unhelmeted drivers was three times (

Car Crash Theory and Tests of Airbag Bumper Systems

30,365) that of helmeted drivers.

Airbag Bumpers Inflated Just Before the Crash

A frontal barrier crash at 48.5 km/h and a moving rigid barrier crash at 48.5 km/h into the side of a stationary car were carried out at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safetys Vehicle Research Center. Frontal and side preinflated airbag bumpers were used. This is a preliminary simulation of an airbag bumper system with the needed airbag inflation triggered by radar sensing of the approaching threat. The frontal airbag bumper had a high pressure airbag at 221 kPa and 23 cm thick imbedded on the outboard side of a low pressure airbag at 20 kPa. The inboard side of this airbag was against the original car bumper, with a thickness of an additional 61 cm at the center line, for a combined thickness of the prototype airbag bumper of 84 cm. The low pressure airbag ruptured as expected in the frontal crash, with the airbag bumper absorbing about 19 percent of the energy of the crash. This was due to excessive penetration into frontal structures. In the side crash, the high pressure airbag at 76 kPa and 20 cm thick was used alone, also with excessive penetration into yielding side structures. The implications for needed airbag bumper design and vehicle airbag bumper support structures, and inter-vehicle compatibility, are noted. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 875833.

Rollover Crash and Laboratory Tests of Ejection Reduction By Glass-Plastic Side Windows and Windshields

This paper demonstrates the potential of compartmented airbag bumper systems inflated just before the crash to cover 1 square metre on the crash surface. The airbags would be inflated to extend out 0.6 m on the front, or 0.3 m on the rear or either side, or 0.15 m on the roof. The airbags could sustain up to 700 kilopascals peak loads when compressed. In a frontal crash, this is enough to decelerate a 1300 kg car at -25 Gx peak and remove 40 km/h equivalent energy from the crash event, leaving collapse of the hood, trunk, or doors for higher speed survivability. Preliminary swing crash tests are presented, along with a discussion of needed car load path changes. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 874898.