Injury frequency and severity in rollover car crashes as related to occupant ejection, contacts and roof damage:​ an analysis of national crash severity study data

Huelke, Donald F.; Compton, Charles P.

Affiliations

¹Department of Anatomy, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, U.S.A.

²The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, U.S.A.

Abstract

National Crash Severity Study data on tow-away, passenger cars that rolled over and had top damage due to ground contact were reviewed to study the occupants, overall injury severity, the influence of vehicle factors (occupant contacts and roof damage) on occupant injury frequency, and the effects of occupant ejection. The frequency of the more serious injuries or fatalities to rollover occupants who are not ejected is the same as in occupants in all types of crashes. The more serious injuries and fatalities are 17 times more frequent to ejected occupants in rollover crashes. Of the serious injuries more are sustained by occupant to ground contact than by occupant/roof interaction. Roof damage is not causally related to injury severity in rollover crashes.

Links

DOI: 10.1016/0001-4575(83)90016-7

WoS: A1983RQ17300006

History

Received: 1982-04-05

Revised: 1983-01-06

Cited Works (5)

Year	Entry
1981	Langwieder K, Hummel T, Sagerer F. Characteristics of neck injuries of car occupants. In: Proceedings of the 1981 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 8-10, 1981; Salon de Provence, France.78-97.
1981	Huelke DF, O'Day J, Mendelsohn RA. Cervical injuries suffered in automobile crashes. J Neurosurg. March 1981;54(3):316-322.
1972	Hight PV, Siegel AW, Nahum AM. Injury mechanisms in rollover collisions. In: Proceedings of the 16th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 8-10, 1972; Detroit, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:204-227. SAE 720966.
1972	Huelke DF, Marsh JC IV, Sherman HW. Analysis of rollover accident factors and injury causation. In: 16th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 19-21, 1972; Chapel Hill, NC.62-79.
1981	Juhl M, Seerup KK. Cervical spine injuries: epidemiological investigation, medical and social consequences. In: Proceedings of the 1981 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 8-10, 1981; Salon de Provence, France.49-58.

Cited By (17)

Year	Entry
1991	Fildes BN, Lane JC, Lenard J, Vulcan AP. Passenger Cars and Occupant Injury. Monash University Accident Research Centre, Cr95. Canberra, Australia: Federal Office of Road Safety; March 1991. Report No. CR95.
1989	Kahane CJ. An Evaluation of Door Locks and Roof Crush Resistance of Passenger Car: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 206 and 216. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; November 1989. NHTSA Technical Report DOT HS 807 489.
1993	Thurman DJ, Burnett CL, Beaudoin DE, Jeppson L, Sniezek JE. Risk factors and mechanisms of occurrence in motor-vehicle-related spinal cord injuries: Utah. In: 37th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). November 4-6, 1993; San Antonio, TX.201-208.
1995	Moffatt EA, Padmanaban J. The relationship between vehicle roof strength and occupant injury in rollover crash data. In: 39th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 16-18, 1995; Chicago, IL.245-267.
2005	Padmanaban J, Husher S. Occupant injury experience in rollover crashes: an in-depth review of NASS/CDS data. In: 49th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). September 12-14, 2005; Boston, MA.103-118.
1996	Rechnitzer G, Lane J, Scott G. Rollover crash study: vehicle design and occupant injuries. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 13-16, 1996; Melbourne, Australia.821-834.
2001	Ridella SA, Nayef A, Altamore PF. Rollover: a methodology for restraint system development. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 4-7, 2001; Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1989	Biard R, Cesari D, Bloch J. Rollovers of passenger cars in France. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.541-553.
1991	Thomas P, Bradford M, Ward E. The cause of head injuries in real world crashes. In: Proceedings of the 13th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 4-7, 1991; Paris, France.67-77.
1991	Mackay GM, Parkin S, Morris AP, Brown RN. The urban rollover: characteristics, injuries, seat-belts and ejection. In: Proceedings of the 13th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 4-7, 1991; Paris, France.741-747.
2008	Ridella SA, Eigen AM. Biomechanical investigation of injury mechanisms in rollover crashes from the CIREN database. In: Proceedings of the 36th International Workshop on Human Subjects for Biomechanical Research. November 2, 2008; San Antonio, TX.
2005	Padmanaban J, Delahaye M, Hassan AM, Mackay M. The nature of serious injury in US and UK rollover crashes. In: Proceedings of the 2005 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 21-23, 2005; Prague, Czech Republic.133-143.
2008	Ridella SA, Eigen AM. Biomechanical investigation of injury mechanisms in rollover crashes from the ciren database. In: Proceedings of the 2008 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 17-19, 2008; Bern, Switzerland.33-47.
1990	Bahling GS, Bundorf RT, Kaspzyk GS, Moffatt EA, Orlowski KF, Stocke JE. Rollover and drop tests: the influence of roof strength on injury mechanics using belted dummies. In: Proceedings of the 34th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 4-7, 1990; Orlando, FL. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:101-112. SAE 902314.
1995	Arndt MW, Mowry GA, Dickerson CP, Arndt SM. Evaluation of experimental restraints in rollover conditions. In: Proceedings of the 39th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 8-10, 1995; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:101-110. SAE 952712.
1986	Huelke DF, Nusholtz GS. Cervical spine biomechanics: a review of the literature. J Orthop Res. 1986;4(2):232-245.
2017	Ridella SA. The Contribution of Vehicle, Occupant and Crash Factors to the Risk of Injury as a Result of Vehicle Rollover: New Approaches to Data and Modeling Analysis [PhD thesis]. Gothenburg, Sweden: Chalmers University of Technology; 2017.