Light Truck Vehicle Research Articles

Impact speed and a pedestrian's risk of severe injury or death

This study estimates the risk of severe injury or death for pedestrians struck by vehicles using data from a study of crashes that occurred in the United States in years 1994–1998 and involved a pedestrian struck by a forward-moving car, light truck, van, or sport utility vehicle. The data were weighted to correct for oversampling of pedestrians who were severely injured or killed. Logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounding related to pedestrian and vehicle characteristics. Risks were standardized to represent the average risk for a pedestrian struck by a car or light truck in the United States in years 2007–2009.Results show that the average risk of a struck pedestrian sustaining an injury of Abbreviated Injury Scale 4 or greater severity reaches 10% at an impact speed of 17.1miles per hour (mph), 25% at 24.9mph, 50% at 33.0mph, 75% at 40.8mph, and 90% at 48.1mph. The average risk of death reaches 10% at an impact speed of 24.1mph, 25% at 32.5mph, 50% at 40.6mph, 75% at 48.0mph, and 90% at 54.6mph. Risks varied by age. For example, the average risk of death for a 70-year-old pedestrian struck at any given speed was similar to the average risk of death for a 30-year-old pedestrian struck at a speed 11.8mph faster.

승합 및 경트럭의 탑승자 보호성능 평가

The fatalities rate for passenger vehicles, vans, and commercial vehicles is 1.23, 1.90 and 2.46 deaths per 10,000 registered vehicles, respectively. This shows that vans and commercial vehicles are vulnerable compare to passenger vehicles. To evaluate the crashworthiness of van and Light Truck Vehicle(LTV), we carried out frontal offset crash test at 64km/h, 40% overlap as per IIHS(Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). The test result show that LTV is very poor to protect occupant at frontal crash cause there is no safety system such as airbag and pretensioner and front end length(distance from front bumper to steering wheel) is short. One of the van rated as the lowest rating even it is equipped with airbag, cause its safety cage was collapsed during the test. This result shows that the structural integrity is very important in terms of occupant protection.

Motor vehicle mismatch: a national perspective

ObjectiveTo determine the RR of the severe injury associated with light truck vehicle (LTV) versus passenger vehicle (PV) mismatch following motor vehicle collisions across the USA.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort...

An Evaluation of the Association Between Vehicle Type and the Source and Severity of Pedestrian Injuries

To evaluate the effect of vehicle type (passenger vehicle vs. light truck vehicle) on crash trajectory and on the consequent source and severity of pedestrian injury, we analyzed data from the Pedestrian Crash Data Study (PCDS), conducted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from 1994 to 1998. While 62% of the adults in PV (passenger vehicle)-related crashes were carried by the vehicle, such pedestrian-vehicle interaction was observed only in 28% of LTV (light truck vehicle)-adult crashes. Being thrown forward or knocked down were the most common (65%) type of pedestrian-vehicle interactions for LTV-adult crashes. For children, 93% of those struck by LTVs and 46% of those struck by PVs were thrown forward or knocked down. For adults, LTVs were more likely than PVs to cause thorax (37% vs. 20%) and abdomen injuries (33% vs. 18%). For children, LTVs were more likely than PVs to cause injuries to the upper extremity (71% vs. 56%) and abdomen (14% vs. 8%). For adults struck by PVs the most common sources of injury were windshield for head injuries (63%), hood surface for thorax (67%), abdomen (58%), spine (30%), and upper extremity (36%) injuries, and bumper for the lower extremity injuries (60%). The leading causes of injury for adult-LTV crashes were ground for head (39%) and upper extremity (37%) injuries, hood edge for thorax (48%) and abdomen (56%) injuries, hood surface for spine injuries (36%), and bumper for lower extremity injuries (45%). For child-PV crashes, ground was the most common source of face (37%) abdomen (83%), spine (43%), and upper extremity injuries (54%). For children hit by LTVs, 52% of face, 67% of abdomen, 100% of spine, and 60% of upper extremity injuries were attributed to ground contacts. Altogether, the major sources of injury were hood surface and windshield for PV-pedestrian crashes and hood surface and hood edge for LTV-pedestrian crashes. Changes in design, such as altering the geometry and stiffness of front-end structures, might be associated with considerable decrease in the frequency and severity of pedestrian injury.

THE RISK OF INJURY AND VEHICLE DAMAGE SEVERITY IN VEHICLE MISMATCHED SIDE IMPACT CRASHES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

As occupant protection offered by new passenger vehicles has improved, there has been growing concern about the harm that some vehicle designs may inflict on occupants of other vehicles with which they collide. Preceding analyses of crash statistics have clearly demonstrated the incompatibility between passenger sedan cars (PS) and pick-up trucks (PU) involved in side impact crashes in British Columbia. A comparison of light truck and passenger car crashes in previous literature reveals that light truck vehicles inflict greater harm than passenger cars for a number of reasons including their greater weight, stiffer structure, and higher ride height. These features place occupants of passenger cars at a disadvantage should they be involved in a collision with a light truck vehicle. The injury risk for passenger sedan car occupants is greater than the risk for pick-up truck occupants in two-vehicle crashes (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.87; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.38-2.52). In addition, the risk of vehicle damage severity was increased for passenger cars compared with pick-up trucks (write off vehicle-OR 5.35; 95% CI 3.75-7.63, severely damaged vehicles-OR 5.87; 95% CI 4.79–7.19, moderately damaged vehicles-OR 2.86; 95% CI 2.44–3.36). There is strong justification for injury prevention experts and policy makers to step up motor vehicle crash injury prevention advocacy by implementing evidence-based policies to reduce rates of injury as a result of passenger sedan cars and pick-up trucks involved in side impact crashes in the province of British Columbia.

Investigating the Effect of Light Truck Vehicle Percentages on Head-On Fatal Traffic Crashes

Investigating the Effect of Light Truck Vehicle Percentages on Head-On Fatal Traffic Crashes

Investigating the Effect of Light Truck Vehicle Percentages on Rear-End Fatal Traffic Crashes

Millions of Americans buy light truck vehicles (LTVs) each year to meet family, business, and personal travel needs. The main objective of this research is to study the effect of the increased percentage of LTVs in traffic on fatalities by manner of collision (rear-end), and also to address the impact of crash configuration (car-car, car-LTV, LTV-car, and LTV-to-LTV). This paper presents time series models that incorporate the percentage of LTVs in traffic to analyze and forecast future trends of fatality that result from rear-end collisions. A time series model was estimated to predict future LTV percentages. Future forecasts using the calibrated time series model show that the LTV percentage is expected to increase and reach 45% of the traffic stream in the United States by the year 2010. The crash analysis is based on the fatality analysis reporting system crash database covering the period of 1975-2000. A transfer function time series model with the LTV percentage as an input and annual deaths from rear-end crashes as output indicates that the annual deaths in passenger vehicles involved in rear-end collisions will be 1,004 by the year 2010 (a 5% increase compared to that of the year 2000). The analysis also showed an expected increase in the fatalities of certain configurations based on the type of vehicles involved in the crash, and indicating possible problems if the lead vehicle is an LTV and the following vehicle is a regular car.

Analysis and prediction of traffic fatalities resulting from angle collisions including the effect of vehicles’ configuration and compatibility

Although the rapid growth in light truck vehicle (LTV) sales, including minivans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and light-duty trucks, has not been associated with an overall increase in collisions or traffic deaths in the US, there is a need for a research program to determine whether particular types of collisions have become more frequent or injurious because of the increase in the percent of LTVs in traffic. This paper presents an analysis of the effect of the increasing number of LTV registrations on fatal angle collision trends in the US. The analysis investigates the number of annual fatalities that result from angle collisions as well as collision configuration (car–car, car–LTV, LTV–car, and LTV–LTV). The analysis uses the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) crash databases covering the period 1975–2000. Results showed that death rates differ based on the collision configuration. Time series modeling results showed that fatalities in angle collisions will increase in the next 10 years, and that they are affected by the expected increase in the percentage of LTVs in traffic. Forecast showed that the total number of annual deaths is expected to reach 6300 deaths by the year 2010 (an increase of 12% over 2000). Analysis into the configuration of the collision indicated the seriousness of angle collisions involving an LTV striking a common passenger car (LTV–car). A time series model illustrated the significance of time lag and percent of LTVs in traffic on the increase of this type of fatal collisions. Forecasts from the time series model indicated a 32% increase in deaths due to this type of collisions in the next 10 years.

Field relevance of a suite of rollover tests to real-world crashes and injuries

The objective of this study was to assess the distribution of rollover accidents occurring in the field and to compare the vehicle kinematics in the predominant field crash modes with available laboratory tests. For this purpose, US accident data were analyzed to identify types and circumstances for vehicle rollovers. Rollovers were most commonly induced when the lateral motion of the vehicle was suddenly slowed or stopped. This type of rollover mechanism is referred to as “trip-over”. Trip-overs accounted for 57% of passenger car and 51% of light truck vehicle (LTV) rollovers. More than 90% of trip-overs were initiated by ground contact. Fall-overs were the second most common rollover type, accounting for 13% of passenger car and 15% of LTV rollovers. Bounce-overs only accounted for 8% of both passenger car and LTV rollovers. The FMVSS 208 dolly and the ADAC corkscrew rollover tests are well-known laboratory tests, but do not simulate many of the real-world rollovers. Three additional tests have been devised to more fully address the field relevant conditions identified in this study. To do so, assumptions were made and adding the new laboratory tests (soil-trip, curb-trip and ditch fall-over) increases representativeness to 83% of passenger car and 75% of LTV rollovers reported in the field. Accident data were also used to identify injuries in belted drivers so the information could later be used to better understand occupant kinematics in various roll conditions. The injury distribution for belted/non-ejected drivers was assessed for trip-over, fall-over and bounce-over accidents. Serious injuries (AIS 3+) were most common to the head and thorax, in particular for bounce-overs. Head injuries occurred from contact with the roof, pillar and the interior, while thoracic injuries resulted from contact with the interior and steering wheel assembly. Field data are useful in the development of laboratory test conditions for rollovers as it provides insights on the significance of various rollover types, understanding of injury biomechanics, guidance for future testing and inputs for mathematical modeling.