Front Airbag Deployment Rates in Real-World Car Accidents in Japan and Implications for Activation of Accident Emergency Calling System

Authors: Yasuhiro Matsui—National Traffic Safety Environment Laboratory, Japan; Shoko Oikawa—Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan

Abstract

Accident emergency calling systems (AECSs) are signaled by the deployment of airbags, which causes them to automatically emit information providing the location of the accident site to a public service answering party (PSAP). In some real-world accidents, airbags have failed to deploy. This study clarifies the factors that influence the nondeployment of front airbags in vehicle-vehicle collisions, investigating nondeployment of the driver-side front airbags in sedans and light passenger cars (LPCs) from Japanese accident data. The component rates of deployment for front airbags tend to be higher than those of nondeployment at higher values of pseudo-ΔV in vehicle-vehicle frontal impacts. For both sedans and LPCs, the transition zones between nondeployment and deployment of the front airbag occur at pseudo-ΔV values of 30-50 km/h (ΔV ≈ 21-35 km/h). For mutual impact locations where sedans and LPCs impact opponent vehicles at pseudo-ΔV ≥ 40 km/h (ΔV ≈ 28 km/h) in frontal impacts, the component rate of front airbag nondeployment is higher than that of deployment in right-to-right impacts. The results indicate that factors influencing front airbag nondeployment in vehicle-vehicle collisions are ΔV, impact offset configuration, and crossing angle. Considering front airbag nondeployment in real-world accidents, AECSs should have other functions, such as a manual button, to emit information in addition to automatic emission via airbag signaling.

Type: Full Paper

Keywords: Accident emergency call system (AECS), front airbag, nondeployment, trigger

© Stapp Association, 2018

Access Additional Papers from This Volume

View additional Full Papers from the Stapp Car Crash Journal, Volume 62.

• A Reanalysis of Experimental Brain Strain Data: Implication for Finite Element Head Model Validation
  Authors: Zhou Zhou, Xiaogai Li, and Svein Kleiven—Neuronic Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology; Chirag S. Shah—Humanetics Innovative Solutions, Inc.;…
• Analysis of the Frequency and Mechanism of Injury to Warfighters in the Under-body Blast Environment
  Authors: Kerry Danelson, Laura Watkins, Jonathon Hendricks—Wake Forest Department of Orthopaedic Surgery; Patricia Frounfelker—WIAMan Case Review Team; Karen Pizzolato-Heine, Ray…
• Assessment of Thoracic Response and Injury Risk Using the Hybrid III, THOR-M, and Post-Mortem Human Surrogates under Various Restraint Conditions in Full-Scale Frontal Sled Tests
  Authors: Devon L Albert, Stephanie M Beeman, and Andrew R Kemper—Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech Abstract A…
• Front Airbag Deployment Rates in Real-World Car Accidents in Japan and Implications for Activation of Accident Emergency Calling System
  Authors: Yasuhiro Matsui—National Traffic Safety Environment Laboratory, Japan; Shoko Oikawa—Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan Abstract Accident emergency calling systems (AECSs) are…
• Human Shoulder Response to Lateral Impact in Intermediate Loading Conditions Between High-Velocity, Short-Duration and Low-Velocity, Long-Duration
  Authors: Matthieu Lebarbé, Pascal Potier, Jérôme Uriot, and Pascal Baudrit—CEESAR (Nanterre, France); Denis Lafont—DGA TT (Bourges, France); Richard Douard—Université Paris…
• Injury Risk Curves for the Human Cervical Spine from Inferior-to-Superior Loading
  Authors: Narayan Yoganandan—Center for NeuroTrauma Research, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin; Sajal Chirvi—Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of…
• Modelling of an Adjustable Generic Simplified Vehicle for Pedestrian Impact and Simulations of Corresponding Reference PMHS Tests Using the GHBMC 50th Percentile Male Pedestrian Simplified Model
  Authors: Eric Song and Phillipe Petit — LAB PSA Renault; Jérome Uriot — CEESAR Abstract In a previous study (Song…
• Quantification of Skeletal and Soft Tissue Contributions to Thoracic Response in a Dynamic Frontal Loading Scenario
  Authors: Michelle M. Murach, Yun-Seok Kang, John H. Bolte, David Stark, Rakshit Ramachandra, and Amanda M. Agnew—Injury Biomechanics Research Center,…
• Reference PMHS Sled Tests to Assess Submarining of the Small Female 
  Authors: Xavier Trosseille and Philippe Petit—LAB PSA Peugeot-Citroën Renault; Jérôme Uriot, Pascal Potier, and Pascal Baudrit—CEESAR; Olivier Richard—Faurecia Automotive Seating;…
• Relation Between Sacroilium and Other Pelvic Fractures Based on Real-World Automotive Accidents
  Authors: Phillipe Petit and Xavier Trousseille—LAB PSA Peugeot Citroën Renault; Sophie Curry, Matthieu Lebarbé, and Pascal Baudrit—CEESAR; Sabine Compigne—Toyota Motor…
• Side Impact Assessment and Comparison of Appropriate Size and Age Equivalent Porcine Surrogates to Scaled Human Side Impact Response Biofidelity Corridors
  Authors: Jennifer L. Yaek, Christopher J. Andrecovich, and John M. Cavanaugh—Wayne State University; Stephen W. Rouhana—Vehicle Safety Sciences, LLC Abstract…
• Sources of Variability in Structural Bending Response of Pediatric and Adult Human Ribs in Dynamic Frontal Impacts
  Authors: Amanda M. Agnew, Michelle M. Murach, Victoria M. Dominguez, Akshara Sreedhar, Elina Misicka, Angela Harden, and John H. Bolte—Injury…
• The Effects of Inboard Shoulder Belt and Lap Belt Loadings on Chest Deflection 
  Authors: Koji Mizuno and Ryoichi Yoshida—Nagoya University; Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiko Tanaka and Ryota Ishigaki—Autoliv Japan; Naruyuki Hosokawa and Yoshinori Tanaka—National…
• Validation of a Finite Element 50th Percentile THOR Anthropomorphic Test Device in Multiple Sled Test Configurations
  Authors: Kyle P. McNamara, Derek A. Jones, James P. Gaewsky, Ashley A. Weaver and Joel D. Stizel—Wake Forest School of…

Looking for Something Else?