Factors affecting ejection risk in rollover crashes

Funk, James R.; Cormier, Joseph M.; Bain, Charles E.; Wirth, Jeffrey L.; Bonugli, Enrique B.; Watson, Richard A.

Affiliations

¹Biodynamic Research Corporation, San Antonio, Texas

Abstract

Ejection greatly increases the risk of injury and fatality in a rollover crash. The purpose of this study was to determine the crash, vehicle, and occupant characteristics that affect the risk of ejection in rollovers. Information from real world rollover crashes occurring from 2000 – 2010 was obtained from the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) in order to analyze the effect of the following parameters on ejection risk: seatbelt use, rollover severity, vehicle type, seating position, roof crush, side curtain airbag deployment, glazing type, and occupant age, gender, and size. Seatbelt use was found to reduce the risk of partial ejection and virtually eliminate the risk of complete ejection. For belted occupants, the risk of partial ejection risk was significantly increased in rollover crashes involving more roof inversions, light trucks and vans (LTVs), and larger occupants. For unbelted occupants, the risk of complete ejection was significantly increased in rollover crashes involving more roof inversions, LTVs, far side occupants, and higher levels of roof crush. Roof crush was not a significant predictor of ejection after normalizing for rollover severity. Curtain airbag deployment was associated with reduced rates of partial and complete ejection, but the effect was not statistically significant, perhaps due to the small sample size (n = 89 raw cases with curtain deployments). A much greater proportion of occupants who were ejected in spite of curtain airbag deployment passed through the sunroof and other portals as opposed to the adjacent side window compared to occupants who were ejected in rollovers without a curtain airbag deployment. The primary factors that reduce ejection risk in rollover crashes are, in generally decreasing order of importance: seatbelt use, fewer roof inversions, passenger car body type, curtain airbag deployment, near side seating position, and small occupant size.

Links

PubMed: 23169130

PubMedCentral: PMC3503426

Cited Works (8)

Year	Entry
2003	Takahashi H, Iyoda M, Aga M, Sekizuka M, Kozuru Y, Ishimoto S. Development of rollover curtain shield airbag system. In: Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 19-22, 2003; Nagoya, Japan.
2006	Gloeckner DC, Moore TLA, Steffey D, Le-Resnick H, Bare C, Corrigan CF. Implications of vehicle roll direction on occupant ejection and injury risk. In: 50th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 16-18, 2006; Chicago, IL.155-170.
2005	Shilliday D, Mowry G. Required airbag characteristics for occupant retention in rollover crashes. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 6-9, 2005; Washington, DC.
2003	Bedewi PG, Godrick DA, Digges KH, Bahouth GT. An investigation of occupant injury in rollover: NASS-CDS analysis of injury severity and source by rollover attibutes. In: Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 19-22, 2003; Nagoya, Japan.
2003	Digges KH, Eigen AM. Crash attributes that influence the severity of rollover crashes. In: Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 19-22, 2003; Nagoya, Japan.
2009	Brumbelow ML, Teoh ER, Zuby DS, McCartt AT. Roof strength and injury risk in rollover crashes. Traffic Inj Prev. 2009;10(3):252-265.
2005	Moore TLA, Vijayakumar V, Steffey DL, Ramachandran K, Corrigan CF. Biomechanical factors and injury risk in high-severity rollovers. In: 49th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). September 12-14, 2005; Boston, MA.133-150.
2003	Giavotto V. Ejection through side windows: relevance and countermeasures. In: Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 19-22, 2003; Nagoya, Japan.

Cited By (3)

Year	Entry
2017	Osvalder A, Bohman K, Hansson I. Adult’s and children’s attitudes towards extra seat belts in the rear seats. In: Proceedings of the 2017 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 13-15, 2017; Antwerp, Belgium.341-352.
2022	Riexinger LE, King S, Sherony R, Hasegawa T, Gabler HC. An improved occupant injury severity model for rollover crashes to account for advances in ejection mitigation. In: Proceedings of the 2022 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 14-16, 2022; Porto, Portugal.45-46.
2021	Riexinger LE. Residual Crashes and Injured Occupants With Lane Departure Prevention Systems [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; March 22, 2021.