On the basis of an analysis of accident data for frontal collisions, injury patterns and the mechanism of injuries to the abdominal region and the pelvis of motor vehicle occupants wearing safety belts are described.

With the aid of experimental and mathematical simulation, the respective section of the accident occurrence which is of interest is reproduced, making it possible to trace the mechanism of the origins of the injury.

The correlation between the loading values obtained from simulation and the actual injuries incurred in the accident makes it possible to deduce the critical angle of pelvis rotation, which can then be used as the distinguishing characteristic for abdominal and pelvic injuries. In this way, pelvic acceleration attains new importance as a protection criterion for preventing injuries both of the osseous pelvis as well as of the abdominal region. Due to the good measurability of these two loading quantities, the angle of rotation and the acceleration of the pelvis can be determined relatively easily in safety tests.