SAFETY SPECIFICATIONS IN THE DESIGN OF VEHICLES

The author discusses the effectiveness of active and passive methods of reducing the severity of the forces and accelerations applied to vehicle occupants during the collision phase of an accident. Active crash protection is provided by the use of seat belts, child restraints and head restraints. The use of rear seat belts should be encouraged, particularly in developing countries where the average car occupancy is often much higher than that of European countries. It is suggested that approximately 10 per cent of all cars made will cause a serious injury or death to a road user before it is scrapped. Thus crashworthiness is an important design factor to be considered on a world-wide basis. Major improvements in injury reduction have been gained by the use of anti-burst door locks, high penetration resistant laminated windscreens, energy-absorbant instrument panels and anti-intrusion steering assemblies. However, there is a continuing need to evaluate the effectiveness of such measures and the controlling legislation. Current knowledge and experience from highly motorised countries should be used in the developing countries to avoid repeating mistakes. (TRRL)