Research into the biomechanics of head and neck injuries is viewed as a major step towards the introduction of more realistic injury tolerance measurement techniques. This important research also aims to identify how the consequences of severe head injuries can be mitigated and the long term effects reduced. Practical application of an increased understanding is still some way off however, and both engineers and car designers are left with little guidance as to the most productive steps to take to reduce these injuries. This paper aims to provide this guidance by analysing data - collected within the United Kingdom Co-operative Crash Injury Study - describing real-world crashes and the head injuries that have been sustained. The parts of the car that cause the injuries, the circumstances under which these injuries are sustained and the types of injury are discussed. The results of this analysis show that the steering wheel was the most common injury source amongst restrained drivers.
Samenvatting