Table of Contents
Advertisement
Fig. 29 Unbelted occupants in a vehicle heading towards a brick wall.
Fig. 30 Unbelted occupants in a vehicle striking a brick wall.
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒
Introduction
The physical principles involved in a frontal collision are relatively simple. As soon as the vehicle is in
motion ⇒ Fig. 29 , both the moving vehicle and its passengers gain kinetic energy.
The higher the vehicle speed and the heavier the weight of the vehicle, the greater the amount of
energy that will have to be released in the event of an accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle. For example, if the speed doubles
from 25 km/h to 50 km/h (15 mph to 31 mph), the kinetic energy increases by a factor of four.
The amount of kinetic energy depends on the speed of the vehicle and the weight of the vehicle and
passengers. The higher the speed and the greater the weight, the more energy there is to be
released in an accident.
Passengers who are not wearing seat belts are not attached to the vehicle. In the event of a frontal
collision, they will continue to move forwards at the same speed at which the vehicle was travelling
before impact, until something stops them. Because the vehicle occupants in our example are not
restrained by seat belts, their entire kinetic energy will be released only at the point of impact
against the wall ⇒ Fig. 30 .
Even at speeds of approximately 30 km/h (19 mph) to approximately 50 km/h (31 mph), the forces
acting on bodies in a collision can easily exceed one tonne (1,000 kg). These forces are even greater
at higher speeds.
This example applies not only to frontal collisions, but to all accidents and collisions.
What happens to vehicle occupants who have not fastened their seat belts
Advertisement
Table of Contents
Troubleshooting
