A study of impact test procedure for steering wheel to reduce facial injuries

Yamazaki, Kunio; Sonoda, Naomasa; Sakurai, Toshiaki; Matsui, Naoki

Affiliations

¹Japan Automobile Research Institute, Inc.

²Chairman of Steering Impact Working Group, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.

³Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

⁴Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical School, Japan

Abstract

To study a steering wheel impact test procedure that reflects the actual conditions of automobile accidents in Japan, an analysis of those type of accidents was carried out to determine in which way injuries were inflicted by a steering wheel to a driver’s head and face in a head-on collision; i.e., the regions of injury, the types of injuries and the parts of the steering wheel responsible for injuries. As a result, we found that in addition to head injuries, it was necessary to study facial injuries These include soft tissue injuries which account for more than 70% of the injuries sustained by occupants in the driver’s seat in Japan.

Second, in regard to soft tissue damage (the most frequently inflicted case of head and facial injuries), we arranged data concerning the structure and mechanical properties of the skin to develop a new impactor with skinsimulated material. The test conditions were established by taking into account the findings of the analysis of automobile accidents and the behavior of the head of a dummy in a crash.

Finally, we conducted a series of impact tests to determine issues of consideration for an impactor necessary to study soft tissue injuries.

Cited Works (4)

Year	Entry
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1985	Petty SPF, Fenn MA. A modified steering wheel to reduce facial injuries and an associated test procedure. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.342-347. SAE 856052.
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Cited By (1)

Year	Entry
1999	Bermond F, Kallieris D, Mattern R, Ramet M, Bouquet R, Caire Y, Voiglio E. Human face response at an angle to the fore-aft vertical plane impact. In: Proceedings of the 1999 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 23-24, 1999; Sitges, Spain.121-132.