Crash dummies may have to be redesigned
28 November 2002: The design of crash test dummies may have to be modified if preliminary research into abdominal injury patterns in car crashes is proved to be accurate. And the research suggests that the side of the car where the driver sits could have its own bearing on injury types.
Researchers at Wayne State Unversity in Michigan looked at injuries received in crashes between 1993 and 1997 and found that the liver was the most frequently injured organ, due to contact with components in the front of the passenger compartment, such as the steering assembly and the instrument panel.
The liver was also most frequently prone to injury to occupants on the left-hand-side of the car, when consideration was only given to injuries from contact with components the the side of the occupant, while the spleen was most likely to be damaged from contact with right-hand components.
The researchers conclude that a more in-depth survey will be needed to see if the asymmetrical features of human anatomy must be considered in the design of crash test dummies and mathematical models used in the evaluation of abdominal impact protection in automotive accidents.