Loughborough University
Browse

Effectiveness of airbag restraints in frontal crashes - what European field studies tell us

Download (166.6 kB)
conference contribution
posted on 2009-07-16, 11:37 authored by Richard FramptonRichard Frampton, Ruth WelshRuth Welsh, Alan KirkAlan Kirk, Paul Fay
UK and German field accident data show that European airbag systems provide a 35% and 56% reduction in AIS 2+ injury to the cranium and face when belted drivers sustain MAIS 2+ injury in frontal crashes. The highest benefits of airbags were seen in crashes exceeding 30 km/h delta v. Airbags do not appear to affect a reduction in chest injuries and they exert a neutral influence on the incidence of cervical spine strain. Drivers with deployed airbags sustained proportionately more AIS 2+ upper limb injuries than those in vehicles without airbags. That difference was largely the result of a higher proportion of clavicle fractures. Overall, deployment thresholds correlate well to the onset of moderate/serious head injury but there appear to be some unnecessary deployments at low crash severities.

History

School

  • Design

Citation

FRAMPTON, P. ... et al, 2000. Effectiveness of airbag restraints in frontal crashes - what European field studies tell us. IN: Proceedings of the International Research Council on the Biomechanics of Impact (IRCOBI) Conference, Montpellier, France, September 20-22, 2000, pp.426-441

Publisher

International Research Council on the Biomechanics of Impact (IRCOBI)

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publication date

2000

Notes

This is a conference paper.

Language

  • en

Usage metrics

    Loughborough Publications

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC