This paper describes a test using human volunteers to determine risk of cervical spine injury and subject experience between frontal and rear collisions. Human volunteers were subjected to three rear impact crashes, in two of which they were unaware of the coming impact and in one of which they were allowed to brace. Volunteers switched between being in the striking and the struck car. Video analysis showed two distinct kinematic phases in the rear impact vehicle. The female volunteer, being smaller and lighter, experienced higher acceleration than the males. Males offered greater initial resistance but experienced greater rearward phase extension. The mechanism of whiplash injury appears to vary with body mass. The study sheds light on possible reasons for observed difference in injury risk between frontal and rear impacts. For the covering abstract see ITRD E121180.
Samenvatting