Characteristics of small overlap crashes

Small overlap frontal crashes occur when vehicles are loaded outboard of their longitudinal structural members. Studies from the 1990s as well as current research have found that these crashes continue to account for a significant percentage of all serious frontal crashes. The National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System database was used to study the characteristics of these crashes in current model vehicles for drivers with injuries (excluding extremity injuries) rated 3 or greater on the abbreviated injury scale. Cases were individually analyzed to only include vehicles in which the majority of the loading was located outboard of the left longitudinal member. Occupant compartment intrusion was the primary factor in the resulting injuries, showing a strong correlation between the magnitude of intrusion and injury severity. Results suggest that vehicle designs must improve their ability to prevent occupant compartment intrusion when a vehicle is loaded at the outboard edges of its front end. The full text of this paper may be found at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0423.pdf For the covering abstract see ITRD E145407.