This paper evaluates the accuracy of different methods for determining the speed change during vehicle-to-vehicle collisions from isolator compression and low-speed barrier data. A controlled regimen of 938 aligned, low-speed collisions was completed. A series was included in which collision force data were collected to compare vehicle-to-barrier and vehicle-to-vehicle collisions. Five vehicles (four with isolators and one with a foam-core bumper) were tested against a rigid barrier and against each other in collisions below damage threshold. Three methods of assessing the speed change of a low-speed vehicle-to-vehicle collision are evaluated as alternatives to a fourth method: staging collisions with exemplar vehicles. For each of the three methods, the expected accuracy and limitations are presented. (A)
Abstract