Abstract
In this study, thoracic and pelvic side impact tests with fresh unembalmed cadavers were analysed in order to assess the influence of age and anthropometric data on human injury risk. Statistical methods (linear and logistic regression models) were applied to evaluate the resultant data. Injury risk prediction was improved by up to 26 percentage points by introducing age, bone condition (ash mineral content) and thoracic and pelvic breadth respectively into the statistical formulae in addition to the usual figures concerning impact intensity (impact velocity and mass ). The models estimated here can serve as a basis for the further analysis of realistic human injury thresholds. (A)