Title: Motor car design for pedestrian injury prevention

Authors: R. Kaeser, M. Gaegauf

Addresses: Institute for Lightweight Structures, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. ' Institute for Lightweight Structures, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract: Car-pedestrian collisions are discussed with emphasis on the parameters which are of importance in the design of safer car fronts. The kinematics of the pedestrian during impact with the car front are described, based on investigations of real accidents and on mathematical and experimental simulations. Fundamentals of a design procedure are outlined. They are based on defined tolerance levels of the pedestrian, from which force limits are derived for design purposes and acceleration criteria for performance tests of the car front. Appropriate materials and structural elements contribute to energy absorption at tolerable force levels. Relationships between design loads, contact zones, area-distributed forces and deformations of impact locations on the car front are shown.

Keywords: collision kinematics; head impact; human tolerance criteria; pedestrian accidents; pedestrian safety; vehicle design; vehicle safety.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1986.061175

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1986 Vol.7 No.5/6, pp.215 - 231

Published online: 25 May 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article