1Rome University “La Sapienza”
The present work researches into the most significant technical and medical aspects capable of affecting a motor vehicle driver’s ability within the bounds of the highest safety possible and with an eye to the prevention of accidents. Therefore, this work focuses basically on aspects of passive safety. One technical aspect to be considered is that of the characteristics of the driver’s seat which can afford a motorist the possibility to dampen the load an such parts of his body as the lumbar and cervical column. Based on this, same spinal column configurations have been identified which allow a correlation of the ensuing loads on function of several seat-dictated postures. Also some physical-kinematic patterns have been studied which are typical of how vertebral and lower limbs act with respect to trunk. A simplified geometrical scheme has been indicated including also the choice of a so called H point. This study has not dealt in any special way with other technical aspects, such as the construction of motor vehicles because, although intrinsically capable of improving driving conditions, they are primarily, or aught to be the concern of car manufacturers. Among the various medical and driver’s physical characteristics the following have been studied:
The conclusions arrived at this study are basically aimed at sensitizing all agencies and organizations. Concerned with road safety in order to identify both means and experts most suitable to research into the many problem areas.