[Injuries caused by automobile safety glass].

Area of Science:

• Automotive Safety Engineering
• Biomechanics
• Materials Science

Context:

• Motor vehicle accidents pose significant risks to occupants.
• Side windows, often made of tempered glass (TG), are implicated in head and facial injuries.
• Previous research has focused on various aspects of vehicle safety, but specific injury mechanisms from glass impacts require further elucidation.

Purpose:

• To investigate the injury potential of tempered glass (TG) and laminated glass (LG) in motor vehicle accidents.
• To analyze the relationship between impact characteristics, glass type, and facial laceration severity.
• To evaluate occupant safety by examining real-world accident data and simulated collisions.

Summary:

• This report details real accident investigations and nine simulated oblique collisions involving post mortem human subjects (PMHSs) impacting side windows made of TG.
• Tests included standard TG and a modified TG construction (two plates with an air layer), with impact angles between 35-45 degrees.
• Facial laceration severity was found to be dependent on collision severity, glass type, and the resulting glass damage from head impact.

Impact:

• Findings underscore the severe injury risks, including blindness, associated with head impacts on tempered glass (TG) in vehicles.
• Results indicate that the type of glass and impact dynamics significantly influence the severity of facial lacerations.
• This research emphasizes the critical need for continued investigation into real accidents and simulations to enhance occupant safety designs and reduce injury severity.