Safety Improvement for Occupants in Far-Side Impacts

Crash test procedures required by present safety standards for side crashes require the crash dummies to be located on the side of the vehicle closest to the impact.  Far side occupants, those located on the opposite side from the impact, are not currently required in any test. Field data indicates that occupants in far side crashes contribute approximately 33% of all AIS 3+ injuries to restrained front seat occupants exposed to side crashes.  There is currently little test data on the performance of conventional 3-point belt systems in far side crashes.  This project has evaluated a variety of production safety belt systems in far side crashes.  Click here to see a video of  the dummy motion in a far side crash of a C/K pickup when impacted on the side opposite the dummy by a Chevrolet Caprice.  Click here to see the  a video to see the dummy motion in a rollover test of a C/K pickup.  In this test the dummy is also on on the far-side of the vehicle.

Another part of the project is to analyze accident data to determine the opportunities for safety improvements in far-side crashes.  describes the data analysis and computer modeling conducted to determine test conditions for safety systems to reduce injuries. The paper and presentation may be accessed by the links to follow:

	Opportunities for Reducing Casualties in Far-side Crashes, Presentation by K. Digges, R. Morgan and H. Gabler, SAE Government-Industry Meeting, May 2006
	Opportunities for Reducing Casualties in Far-side Crashes, Presentation by K. Digges and H. Gabler, SAE  International Congress, April 2006
	Characteristics of  the Injury Environment in Far-side Crashes, Paper  by K. Digges, H. Gabler, P. Mohan and B. Alonzo,  AAAM, 2005
	Characteristics of  the Injury Environment in Far-side Crashes, Presentation by K. Digges, H. Gabler, P. Mohan and B. Alonzo,  AAAM, 2005
	Injuries to Restrained Occupants in Far-side Crashes, Paper by K. Digges and D. Dalmotas, ESV Paper 351, 2001
	Injuries to Restrained Occupants in Far-side Crashes, Presentation by K. Digges and D. Dalmotas, ESV Paper 351,  2001
	Summary Cases of Drivers in Far-side Crashes -    NASS Year 2002                                                                                 NASS Year 2003                                                                                 NASS Year 2004

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