# Presentation: 485222

## Occupant Injury Patterns in Side Pole Crashes

**Frank A. Pintar, PhD **
**N. Yoganandan, PhD**
**Dennis J. Maiman, MD, PhD**
**Dale Halloway, MA**
**Wisconsin CIREN Center**

## Narrow-Object Side Impacts

- Single vehicle crash
- Potential for severe trauma
- Greater / concentrated levels of intrusion
- Ways to reduce injury?
- What can side airbags do?

## Narrow-Object Side ImpactsCIREN Analysis

- Query CIREN database
- Near side 8-10 or 2-4 pole/tree crashes
- Apply Biomechanics Tab coding
- Characterize Injury Patterns

## NASS DataNarrow-object versus Car-to-car

## Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- 49 analyzed
- Of the 49:
- 25 males, 24 females
- 15 age 10-18 YO; 34 age 19-63 YO
- 35 drivers; 14 passengers
- Belt use:  38 yes,  11 no
- CIREN inclusion
- Late-model vehicles 1990 – 2004
- AIS=3+ or multiple AIS=2 injuries

## Narrow-Object CIREN Cases

## Narrow-Object CIREN CasesNumber of Cases by Vehicle Model Year

## Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- 26 of 49 with Thorax Injury
- 26 of 49 with Head Injury
- 17 of 49 with Pelvic Injury
- 16 of 49 with Lower Extremity Injury
- 12 of 49 with Abdomen Injury
- 5 of 49 with Cervical Spine Injury
- 4 of 49 with Upper Extremity Injury

## Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case AnalysisNumber of Occupants with Trauma to Body Region

## Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case AnalysisNumber of Occupants with Associated Head Trauma

## Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case AnalysisNumber of Occupants with Associated Lo Extremity Trauma

## Narrow Object Side Impact Location

**Narrow Object Side Impact Location**

- Forward of 25 cm

- Center of Wheelbase

- Rearward of 25 cm

- 25 cm Forward

- 25 cm Rearward

- Class 1

- Class 2

- Class 3

- Class 4

## Narrow Object Side Impact Location

**Narrow Object Side Impact Location**

- Class 1

- 17 Total Class 1 Cases
- Percent of occupants with injury

## Narrow Object Side Impact Location

**Narrow Object Side Impact Location**

- 18 Total Class 1 Cases
- Percent of occupants with injury

- Class 2

## Narrow Object Side Impact Location

**Narrow Object Side Impact Location**

- 11 Total Class 1 Cases
- Percent of occupants with injury

- Class 3

## Narrow Object Side Impact Location

**Narrow Object Side Impact Location**

- Class 4

- Less than 5 cases

## Head Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- 26 of 49 cases had Head injury
- 10 had skull fractures; 8 were skull base
- 17 had hemorrhage; subdural, subarachnoid...
- 4 had LOC; 3 had DAI
- 4 had isolated head injuries
- 19 had associated chest trauma
- 8 had associated abdomen trauma
- 5 had associated C-spine trauma
- 9 had associated pelvis trauma
- 4 had associated low extremity trauma

## Head Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case AnalysisPercent of Head-Injured Occupants with Associated Trauma

## Head Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsInvolved Physical Component using Bio-Tab

- Object intrusion location Class 2, 3
- 13 / 26 contacted object (pole, tree)
- 9 / 26 A-, B-pillar, or roof side rail
- 3 / 26 contacted door

## Head Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsEffect of Stature

- 3 with door contact
-  11 year old male, 152 cm
-  17 year old female, 160 cm
-  18 year old male, 157 cm
- Small stature occupants

## Head Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsInvolved Physical ComponentEffect of Stature

- 9 with A-, B-Pillar, Roof Rail contact
- 3 Roof side rail contact
- Occupants 183, 185, 188 cm height
- 4 B-pillar contact
- Occupants 163, 168, 168, 183 cm height
- Class 1, 2, 3, 4
- PDOF; kinematics; seat position
- 1 A-pillar contact
- Occupant 196 cm; Class 1 impact
- 1 Roof contact with intrusion

## Head Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsInvolved Physical ComponentEffect of Stature

- 13 with Pole / Tree contact
-  3 in Class 1
-  Occupants 163, 168, 188 cm height
-  7 in Class 2
-  Occupants 152 to 178 cm height
-  3 in Class 3
-  Occupants 163, 165, 183 cm height

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- 26 of 49 cases had Thorax injury
- 17 had lung contusion
- 19 had rib fractures
- 4 had isolated thorax injuries
- 19 had associated head trauma
- 10 had associated abdomen trauma
- 5 had associated C-spine trauma
- 9 had associated pelvis trauma
- 2 had associated low extremity trauma

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case AnalysisPercent of Chest-Injured Occupants with Associated Trauma

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsInvolved Physical Component

- 25 / 26 contact with intruding door
- Object intrusion location Class 2, 3
- Oblique door load antero-lateral ?

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- Multiple Rib Fractures
- Unilateral (left)
- With hemo-pneumothorax
- Spleen laceration

**Torqued Seat    Class-2**

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- Unilateral (left) rib fracture
- Unilateral (left) lung contusion
- With hemo-pneumothorax

**Torqued Seat    Class-2**

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- Unilateral (left)
- Multiple rib fractures
- Spleen laceration

**Torqued Seat    Class-3**

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis

- Unilateral (right) Rib Fractures
- Right flail chest
- With hemo-pneumothorax
- Lung contusions
- Liver laceration
- Aortic injury

**Torqued Seat    Class-2**

## Chest Trauma in Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Case Analysis SUMMARY

- Chest injuries associated with other injuries
- Head predominantly
- Abdomen
- Less with pelvis
- Not with low extremity
- Unilateral rib fractures
- Torqued seatback in 11 / 15 cases
- Oblique load to chest from door
- Object intrusion class 2 and 3

## Narrow Object Side ImpactsCIREN Analysis: Side Airbags

- 2002, 45 km/h, 9-o’clock, class 1
- Combo thorax-head bag
- Lung contusions; pelvis fractures
- 2004, 24 km/h, 9-o’clock, class 3
- Combo thorax-head bag
- Spleen laceration AIS=3
- 2000, 34 km/h, 11-o’clock, class 1
- Combo thorax-head bag
- Bilateral femur fractures AIS=3

## CIREN Case Example

- Right front passenger
- 22-year-old male
- 191 cm (6’ 3”),  102 kg (225 lb)
- Belted, right curtain and torso side air bags deployed
- MAIS = 5  Head, Chest Injuries
- ISS = 42

## 2001 Volkswagen

- 20 mph BES

## 2001 Volkswagen

## Case Occupant

**Notes:**
CT 09-26

## 2001 Volkswagen

**Note:  Case Occupant Seat Torqued**

## Case Occupant

## Case Occupant

**Notes:**
Rib Fxs

## Narrow Object Side Impacts Summary of 49 CIREN Cases

- Location of impact influences injury patterns
- Head injuries influenced by stature
- Chest injuries influenced by oblique door loading
- Torqued seat may be indicator
- Limited data on side airbags

## Acknowledgment

**This research was supported in part by**
**US Dept. of Transportation NHTSA**
**Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Research**
**Thanks to: **
**Jonathan Rupp, PhD  from ****University of Michigan CIREN Center**
**Joel D. Stitzel, PhD from ****Wake Forest Toyota CIREN Center**** **
**Patricia Dischinger, PhD  from ****Maryland CIREN Center**
**Chris Sherwood, MS  from ****Honda Inova Fairfax Virginia CIREN Center**
**For conducting biomechanical investigations on individual cases**

**Acknowledgment**