/
Article

Forensic Physics of Vehicle Accidents

MAR 01, 1987
The reconstruction of accidents and the analysis of the mechanisms of injury are the focuses of an emerging interdisciplinary field that is leading to safer vehicle design.
Arthur C. Damask

Accidents are the third largest cause of death in America, taking 140 000 lives per year. Only heart attacks and cancer kill more people. Vehicular accidents such as the one shown in figure 1 account for 44 000 of the accidental deaths and cause 80 000 permanent disabilities through trauma to the brain or spinal cord. The direct and indirect costs of all automobile accidents run close to $60 billion per year.

This article is only available in PDF format

References

  1. 1. Injury in America, National Academy Press, Washington, DC (1985).

  2. 2. The Economic Cost to Society of Motor Vehicle Accidents, report no. DOT‐HS‐806‐342, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, US Department of Transportation (1983).

  3. 3. Pedestrian Impact Injury and Assessment, pub. no. P‐121, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1983).

  4. 4. H. B. Pritz, in Pedestrian Impact Injury and Assessment, pub. no. P‐121, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1983), p. 67.

  5. 5. J. C. Collins, Accident Reconstruction, Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, III. (1979).

  6. 6. R. R. McHenry, D. J. Segal, N. J. Deleys, in Proc. 11th Stapp Car Crash Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1967), p. 8.

  7. 7. K. L. Campbell, Energy Basis for Collision Severity, paper no. 740565, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1974).

  8. 8. R. R. McHenry, Extensions and Refinements of the CRASH Computer Program, Part II: User’s Manual for the CRASH Computer, pub. no. PB‐252 115, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, US Department of Transportation (February 1976).
    R. R. McHenry, B. G. McHenry, in Proc. 30th Stapp Car Crash Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1986), p. 333.

  9. 9. Field Accident Data Collection, Analysis, Methodologies, and Crash Injury Reconstructions, pub. no. D‐159, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1985).

  10. 10. Human Tolerance to Impact Conditions as Related to Motor Vehicle Design, pub. no. J885, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1980).

  11. 11. A. C. Damask, Medical Physics, Vol. I: Physiological Physics and External Probes, Academic, New York (1978).

  12. 12. H. Yamada, Strength of Biological Materials, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore (1970).

  13. 13. The Human Thorax—Anatomy, Injury and Biomechanics, pub. no. P‐67, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1976).

  14. 14. Occupant Crash Interaction with the Steering System, pub. no. SP‐507, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1982).

  15. 15. D. C. Viano, C. C. Culver, R. C. Haut, J. W. Melvin, M. Bender, R. H. Culver, R. S. Levine, in Proc. 22nd Stapp Car Crash Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1978), p. 401.

  16. 16. J. Versace, in Proc. 15th Stapp Car Crash Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1971), p. 771.

  17. 17. L. E. Kazarian, J. W. Hahn, H. E. von Gierke, in Proc. 14th Stapp Car Crash Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1970), p. 121.

  18. 18. L. M. Patrick, H. R. Lissner, E. S. Gurdjian, in Proc. Seventh Stapp Car Crash Conference, Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, III. (1965).

  19. 19. A. K. Ommaya, P. Yarnell, A. E. Hirsch, E. H. Harris, in Proc. 11th Stapp Car Crash Conference, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. (1967), p. 73.

  20. 20. A. C. Damask, C. E. Swenberg, Medical Physics, Vol. III: Synapse, Neuron, Brain, Academic, New York (1984).

  21. 21. T. Harper, Am. Bar Assoc. J. 70, 80 (November 1984).

More about the authors

Arthur C. Damask, Queens College of the City University of New York.

Related content
/
Article
Since 2008, more than 100 colleges and universities in the US have stopped offering an undergraduate physics major. What happened?
/
Article
The thermodynamic and quantum mechanical properties of topological insulators provide a path toward scalable energy storage in information-based batteries.
/
Article
At the end of the turbulent 1960s, the postwar funding boom in US physics came to a crashing halt. The lessons learned then may be helpful to today’s physicists.
/
Article
Interviews with 22 successful early-career physical scientists and engineers reveal that networking has been one of the most critical ways to nurture their careers.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1987_03.jpeg

Volume 40, Number 3

Get PT newsletters in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.