What is meant by crashworthiness?

: resistant to the effects of collision crashworthy cars.

How is crashworthiness measured?

Several criteria are used to assess crashworthiness prospectively, including the deformation patterns of the vehicle structure, the acceleration experienced by the vehicle during an impact, and the probability of injury predicted by human body models.

What factors affect crashworthiness?

To determine crashworthiness, IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal or poor, based on performance in five tests:

  • Moderate overlap front.
  • Small overlap front.
  • Side overlap front.
  • Roof strength.
  • Head restraints.

What do IIHS ratings mean?

IIHS tests evaluate two aspects of safety: crashworthiness — how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash — and crash avoidance and mitigation — technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity. Start typing a make and/or model, and a list of choices will appear.

Are vehicle size and weight important characteristics that influence crashworthiness?

Vehicle size and weight are important characteristics that influence crashworthiness. The laws of physics dictate that, all-else being equal, larger and heavier vehicles are safer than smaller and lighter ones.

What are crumple zones made of?

Lightweight plastics used in the front of vehicles can absorb energy from an impact by creating a “crumple zone,” effectively acting as a cushion to protect the occupants of the vehicle inside. In a collision, the crumple zone can collapse like an accordion to lessen the impact on the occupants.

What is the purpose of a pre collision avoidance system?

CAS, also known as precrash system, forward collision warning system, or collision mitigating system, uses radar or other sensors (eg, laser and camera) to detect an imminent crash, and then provides a warning to the driver or takes braking/steering action directly.

What is the difference between IIHS and NHTSA?

The NHTSA calculates the potential rollover risk associated with a vehicle and performs a dynamic test, while the IIHS actually crushes a vehicle’s roof to determine how much force it can resist in event that a rollover occurs.

What is a no zone?

Areas where trucks can’t see around the rig and trailer are called “No-Zones”. Drivers who share the roadway with trucks must be aware of these “No-Zones” to stay safe.