How research drives vehicle safety improvements

Transcription

1 How research drives vehicle safety improvements Then and Now: Looking Forward Lifesavers Conference Long Beach, CA April 2, 2016 Jessica Jermakian iihs.org

2 IIHS is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses deaths, injuries and property damage from crashes on the nation s roads. HLDI shares this mission by analyzing insurance data representing human and economic losses from crashes and other events related to vehicle ownership. Both organizations are wholly supported by auto insurers.

3 People drive more safely because of research Click It Or Ticket campaign, North Carolina Graduated driver licensing Automated enforcement Alcohol-impaired driving

4 Roads are safer because of research Yellow-light timing Roundabouts Rumble strips Low-cost countermeasures

5 Vehicles are safer because of research Fuel tank integrity Airbags Electronic stability control Structural integrity

6 Research is a key factor in the decline of motor vehicle crash deaths during the past 50+ years 60, ,000 50,000 Motor vehicle crash deaths , , ,000 Crash deaths per billion vehicle miles traveled per billion 32,675 deaths 30,

7 Bel Air vs. Malibu crash test IIHS 50th Anniversary

8 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Intrusion comparison 2009 Chevrolet Malibu

9 Identify problems Evaluate Communicate findings Understand causes Develop countermeasures

10 Our Vehicle Research Center Few facilities in the world are equipped to conduct a similar range of crash tests and research.

11 IIHS crashworthiness tests Front moderate overlap Began in 1995 Side impact Began in 2003 Rear crash (whiplash mitigation) Began in 2004 Roof strength Began in 2009 Front small overlap Began in 2012

12 40 mph moderate overlap front crash test Program began in 1995

13 Rating vehicles G ood A cceptable M arginal P oor Structural performance Injury measures from dummies Restraints/ dummy kinematics

14 Moderate overlap ratings by model year 100% 80% 60% 40% poor marginal 20% acceptable good 0%

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16 Ratings reflect fatality risk Reduction in risk for driver of IIHS Good rated vehicles vs. Poor Moderate overlap frontal 45% lower fatality risk Side impact 70% lower fatality risk Roof strength 34% lower fatality risk Rear impact 15% lower injury risk

17 Serious injuries in frontal crashes Among belted front-seat occupants in vehicles with good moderate overlap front ratings, by configuration Low severity 11% Underride 14% Override Fullwidth 6% 2% Small overlap 24% Center 19% Moderate overlap 24%

18 Understanding how small overlap configurations occur in real-world crashes tree/post/pole (38%) passenger vehicle (62%) head-on oblique head-on Pole/Fixed Object crashes Vehicle-to-Vehicle Oblique crashes Vehicle-to-Vehicle Collinear crashes

19 Reconstructions of small overlap crashes 2004 Kia Rio Occupant sustained fatal head injuries IIHS Crash Reconstruction

20 Crash tests of three small overlap crash configurations

21 Tested different barriers to determine which best replicates crash damage and vehicle kinematics

22 Frontal crash comparison

23 Small overlap = majority of crash forces outside main structure Frame rail largely undamaged

24 40 mph small overlap test GOOD rating POOR rating

25 POOR protection for the driver 2014 Mazda CX-9 GOOD protection for the driver 2014 Mercedes ML

26 Small overlap ratings by model year 100% 80% 60% 40% poor marginal 20% acceptable good 0%

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28 Our Vehicle Research Center A major expansion is complete, extending our testing capabilities even further.

29 Front crash prevention ratings Began rating in 2013 after HLDI research found that forward collision warning and automatic braking systems are reducing crashes Rating scale for systems offered as standard or optional

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32 More information and links to our YouTube channel and Twitter feed at iihs.org Jessica Jermakian