Pedestrian safety is one of the most demanding topics in vehicle safety in Korea. Although the total numbers of deaths and injuries have continuously decreased year by year, the pedestrian is still a major source of traffic victims. Among 240,832 cases (total traffic accidents), 37% (89,443) was pedestrian involved accidents in 2003. Last year, 50% (3,594 fatalities) of all traffic accidents that related fatality (total 7,212) was vehicle-pedestrian type accident in Korea. Among them, numbers of deaths in pedestrian age under 6 were 142 with 13,528 injured children.

In 1999, Korean government, Ministry of Construction and Transportation, launched a research project to develop a proper solution on pedestrian protections from vehicle related accidents. The project also included the evaluations of current existing test methods, i.e. EEVC type test and IHRA type test, and the possibility of harmonization with these test methods.

The main objective of the presented method is to develop the adequate dynamic test procedure and injury assessment criteria. The current all existing passenger vehicles of the front shape were measured and categorized into three groups according to IHRA recommendation, and the effect of vehicle shape on pedestrian kinematics was investigated to define the head impact speed, head impact angle and WAD with the various impact speeds and walking postures as the test procedures. In this paper, JARI pedestrian computer model, TNO MADYMO computer model and FEM H-model were used to configure and compare the pedestrian dynamic behaviors during the various impact events. With head impact tests and simulations, the design feasibility, lead times for auto industry and suitable injury criteria were investigated.

Based on the research, Korean government will extend the KNCAP on new vehicle’s pedestrian impact test to evaluate how vehicle front structure is pedestrian friendly. With careful study on the results of NCAP, after that pedestrian regulation will come into effect within 2 or 3 years later.