Following the announcement of a leg protection draft specification by the United Kingdom's Department of Transport (UKDTP) in July 1987, we carried out a full-scale test to observe the effects of the UK-proposed leg protectors for the motorcycle rider. The leg protectors were designed, fabricated and verified to meet the performance requirements by the draft specification. Then, by repeating Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL) testing technique, we tested motorcycle 30 degree angle collisions with a fixed barrier, using a dummy with metallic leg bones, and compared the test results with those of TRRL. Subsequently, we tested three collision modes, including a motorcycle-to-car, both moving, collision. A dummy utilizing "breakable" leg components, unlike the TRRL metal leg components, was used as the motorcycle occupants. Our studies evidence that the utilization of breakable leg bones is preferable as such permits required evaluation of post impact dummy dynamics. In former research, the leg protectors studied in some cases had the potential of reducing the motorcyclist's lower leg fracture; however, they also indicated the potential of increasing overall injury which results in a dilemma. In this series of tests, the possibility of reducing rider's lower leg fracture with the leg protector is not observed; moreover, the possibility of increasing overall injury is indicated again. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference, see IRRD 837684.
Abstract