In-depth investigations of 21 Volvo cars involved in rollover crashes were analysed with regard to cause and outcome. Detailed information was examined about the crash scenario, the roadside environment, the car, its occupants and injuries, if any occurred. Parameters such as the initiation of rollover, the rollover kinematics, the deformation of the car and the environmental interaction with the car were analysed to determine a measure of rollover severity. As a complement, the results from the in-depth investigations were compared with statistical analyses of rollover cases in Volvo's accident database and the National Accident Sampling System (NASS) database. The results from these databases support the findings from the in-depth study. No single parameter or combination of parameters was found appropriate for describing the rollover severity related to injury risk. However, conclusions are drawn regarding deformation characteristics, the initiation of rollovers, the number of turns, the roll direction, where the rollover takes place, the body parts most often injured, and the most common injury mechanisms.
Abstract