G Ponte

PEDESTRIAN SUBSYSTEM HEAD IMPACT RESULTS REFLECT THE SEVERITY OF PEDESTRIAN HEAD INJURIES

Ten head impacts between pedestrians and cars were reconstructed to compare the head injuries sustained by pedestrians with the results of reconstruction tests using the headform impactors designated by the European Enhanced Vehicle-safety Committee (EEVC) Working Group 10 for assessing pedestrian head protection. The methodology of this study included at-scene accident investigation, computer simulation, and physical reconstruction in a laboratory of the head impacts that occurred in the accident cases that were investigated. The main finding was that the results from using the EEVC headform impactors test correlate well with the severity of any head injury, as measured by the Abbreviated Injury Scale, in actual pedestrian accidents. Head impacts that exceeded a HIC value of 1000 were positively associated with head injuries that were AIS3 or above.

An estimate of the effectiveness of an in-vehicle automatic collision notification system in reducing road crash fatalities in South Australia

ABSTRACT Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the potential effectiveness of an in-vehicle automatic collision notification (ACN) system in reducing all road crash fatalities in South Australia (SA). Methods: For the years 2008 to 2009, traffic accident reporting system (TARS) data, emergency medical services (EMS) road crash dispatch data, and coroners reports were matched and examined. This was done to initially determine the extent to which there were differences between the reported time of a fatal road crash in the mass crash data and the time EMS were notified and dispatched. In the subset of fatal crashes where there was a delay, injuries detailed by a forensic pathologist in individual coroners reports were examined to determine the likelihood of survival had there not been a delay in emergency medical assistance. Results: In 25% (N = 53) of fatalities in SA in the period 2008 to 2009, there was a delay in the notification of the crash event, and hence dispatch of EMS, that exceeded 10 min. In the 2-year crash period, 5 people were likely to have survived through more prompt crash notification enabling quicker emergency medical assistance. Additionally, 3 people potentially would have survived if surgical intervention (or emergency medical assistance to sustain life until surgery) occurred more promptly. Conclusions: The minimum effectiveness rate of an ACN system in SA with full deployment is likely to be in the range of 2.4 to 3.8% of all road crash fatalities involving all vehicle types and all vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists) from 2008 to 2009. Considering only passenger vehicle occupants, the benefit is likely to be 2.6 to 4.6%. These fatality reductions could only have been achieved through earlier notification of each crash and their location to enable a quicker medical response. This might be achievable through a fully deployed in-vehicle ACN system.