Characteristics of small overlap crashes

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Sherwood, Christopher P.¹; Nolan, Joseph M.¹; Zuby, David S.¹

Characteristics of small overlap crashes

Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)

Affiliations

¹Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, United States
Abstract

Small overlap frontal crashes occur when vehicles are loaded outboard of their longitudinal structural members. Studies from the 1990s as well as current research have found that these crashes continue to account for a significant percentage of all serious frontal crashes. The National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System database was used to study the characteristics of these crashes in current model vehicles for drivers with injuries (excluding extremity injuries) rated 3 or greater on the abbreviated injury scale. Cases were individually analyzed to only include vehicles in which the majority of the loading was located outboard of the left longitudinal member. Occupant compartment intrusion was the primary factor in the resulting injuries, showing a strong correlation between the magnitude of intrusion and injury severity. Results suggest that vehicle designs must improve their ability to prevent occupant compartment intrusion when a vehicle is loaded at the outboard edges of its front end.
Links

URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0423.pdf

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Cited By (18)

Year	Entry
2010	Scullion P, Morgan RM, Mohan P, Kan C-D, Shanks K, Jin W, Tangirala R. A reexamination of the small overlap frontal crash. In: 54th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 17-20, 2010; Las Vegas, NV.137-147.
2011	Hallman JJ, Yoganandan N, Pintar FA, Maiman DJ. Injury differences between small and large overlap frontal crashes. In: 55th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 3-5, 2011; Paris, France.147-157.
2013	Iraeus J, Lindquist M, Wistrand S, Sibgård E, Pipkorn B. Evaluation of chest injury mechanisms in nearside oblique frontal impacts. In: 57th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). September 22-25, 2013; Quebec City, QC.183-195.
2011	Hallman JJ, Yoganandan N, Halloway D, Rinaldi J, Pintar FA. Analysis of thoracic loading, kinematics, and injuries in small overlap impacts: field data and full-scale vehicle tests with dummies. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 13-16, 2011; Washington, DC.
2011	Saunders J, Craig MJ, Suway J. NHTSA’s test procedure evaluations for small overlap/oblique crashes. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 13-16, 2011; Washington, DC.
2011	Bostrom O, Kruse D. A sled test method for small overlap crashes and fatal head injuries. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 13-16, 2011; Washington, DC.
2011	Wiacek C, Rudd R, Collins LA. Real world analysis of rear seat occupant safety in frontal crashes. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 13-16, 2011; Washington, DC.
2013	Butala K, Gotwals D, Tangirala R, Shanks K. Occupant behavior in small front overlap event: a parametric study. In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 27-30, 2013; Seoul, South Korea.
2013	Kim D, Lee M, Kim J, Han J, Park J, Yu S. A study of dummy kinematic and restraint system for IIHS small overlap. In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 27-30, 2013; Seoul, South Korea.
2013	Jakobsson L, Kling A, Lindman M, Wågström L, Axelson A, Broberg T, McInally G. Severe partial overlap crashes: a methodology representative of car to car real world frontal crash situations. In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 27-30, 2013; Seoul, South Korea.
2015	Mueller B, MacAlister A, Nolan J, Zuby D. Comparison of HIC and BrIC head injury risk in IIHS frontal crash tests to real-world head injuries. In: Proceedings of the 24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 8-11, 2015; Gothenburg, Sweden.
2017	Youn Y, Lee J, Kang B, Kim G, Kwon H. The proposed new KNCAP frontal crash test based on the in-depth accident data. In: Proceedings of the 25th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 5-8, 2017; Detroit, MI.
2019	Draper D, Huf A, Wernicke P, Peldschus S. The influence of reclined seating positions on lumbar spine kinematics and loading in frontal impact scenarios. In: Proceedings of the 26th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 10-13, 2019; Eindhoven, Netherlands.
2019	Chen G, Shi MF, Tyan T. Optimization of front end structures for iihs small overlap frontal crash test. In: Proceedings of the 26th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 10-13, 2019; Eindhoven, Netherlands.
2023	Firey LML, Rudd RW, Lockerby J, Craig MJ. Identification of influential factors among fatalities of restrained first-row occupants in recent frontal crashes. In: Proceedings of the 2023 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 13-165, 2023; Cambridge, United Kingdom.17-43.
2011	Mueller BC, Sherwood CP, Arbelaez RA, Zuby DS, Nolan JM. Comparison of Hybrid III and THOR dummies in paired small overlap tests. Stapp Car Crash J. 2011;55:379-409.
2013	Samaha RR, Prasad P, Nix L. Opportunities for injury reduction in US frontal crashes: an overview by structural engagement, vehicle class, and occupant age. Stapp Car Crash J. November 2013;57:41-467.
2014	Mueller BC, Brethwaite AS, Zuby DS, Nolan JM. Structural design strategies for improved small overlap crashworthiness performance. Stapp Car Crash J. November 2014;58:145-173.