Regional-Level Injury Risk Sensitivity to Pre-Crash Driver Position within Simplified Real World Motor Vehicle Crash Reconstructions

Two full-frontal Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) were reconstructed using finite element (FE) models. A FE simplified vehicle model (SVM) was tuned to mimic the frontal crash response of the CIREN case vehicle using frontal NCAP crash test data. The Total HUman Model for Safety (THUMS) was positioned in 120 pre-crash configurations per case within the tuned SVM. Seat track position, seat back angle, D-ring height, steering column angle, and steering column telescoping position variables were varied. An additional baseline simulation was performed that aimed to match the pre-crash occupant position documented in CIREN for each case. FE simulations were performed using the delta-V pulse from the vehicle’s event data recorder (EDR). HIC15, combined thoracic index (CTI), and femur forces were evaluated to predict regional-level injury risks. Tuning the SVM to specific vehicle models resulted in close matches between simulated and test injury metric data, allowing the tuned SVM to be used in each case reconstruction. Simulations with the most rearward seats and reclined seat backs had the greatest HIC15, head injury risk, CTI and chest injury risk. More than half of the Camry occupant positions tested indicated a risk of AIS 2+ chest injury such as the hemomediastinum seen in the real world case. The injury metrics evaluated for the Cobalt case occupant indicated a low risk of injury. The highest risk of injury was in the chest region. The baseline simulation estimated 33% risk of any AIS 2+ chest injury and only a 4% chance of AIS 3+ chest injury, while the Cobalt case occupant had an AIS 3 pulmonary contusion. The reconstruction process and analysis allows for quantification of the sensitivity of the injury risk predictions based on occupant position to further understand important factors leading to severe MVC injuries.