Review of MOT vehicle accident investigation in past seven years

Ono, Koshiro; Sato, Takashi

Affiliations

¹Japan Automobile Research Institute, Inc.

²Traffic Safety and Nuisance Research Institute, Ministry of Transport

Abstract

In order to upgrade present motor vehicle safety standards, the Ministry of Transport initiated its motor vehicle accident "on the scene investigation" since 1973, with the purpose of collecting factual data.

This investigation is being carried out by the accident investigation teams of the Traffic Safety and Nuisance Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport and Japan Automobile Research Institute in cooperation with the National Police Agency and Medical Association of Japan. Regions of Ishikawa, Saitama, Ibaraki and Okayama Prefectures were selected as investigation areas.

Particular accidents were subject to investigation according to the following: a) aspects of accident reflected on the current safety standards were inadequate; and b) occupant injuries were presumably caused by motor vehicle interior parts. Every year approximately 50 cases were investigated, and vehicle accidents covered by this investigation up to 1979 consisted of vehicle to vehicle head-on collisions (39 cases), side collisions (92 cases), rear-end collisions (76 cases), single vehicle collisions (42 cases) and vehicle to motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian accidents (147 cases).

Methodology and results of this investigation will be presented together with the summary of 249 cases of vehicle to vehicle and single vehicle to object accidents. For passenger cars and light vans, the relationship among impact speed, vehicle interior parts/components and occupant injuries by the principal direction of force are derived. Studies have been also made on effects of injury reduction measures according to the relationship between the EBS (Equivalent Barrier Speed) and occupant injuries, by means of vehicle model year classification.

Cited Works (2)

Year	Entry
1974	Baker SP, O'Neill B, Haddon W Jr, Long WB. The injury severity score: a method for describing patients with multiple injuries and evaluating emergency care. J Trauma. March 1974;14(3):187-196.
1976	Baker SP, O'Neill B. The Injury Severity Score: an update. J Trauma. November 1976;16(11):882-885.

Cited By (3)

Year	Entry
1996	Esumi N, Satake K, Ohmae H, Harigae T, Ueno M. Research concerning vehicle occupant protection for lateral collision: accident analysis of lateral collision and vehicle characteristics in Japanese market. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 13-16, 1996; Melbourne, Australia.1257-1265.
1987	Ohmae H, Sakurai M, Nakamura Y, Watanabe K. A study on energy-absorbing units of MDB for side impact test. In: Proceedings of the 11th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 12-15, 1987; Washington, DC.136-147.
1989	Itoh M, Ono K, Irie Y. In-depth study of motor vehicle accidents in Japan. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.459-470.