Euro NCAP 28 june 2005

Whiplash injury epidemiology and effectiveness of whiplash prevention

systems.

Maria Krafft

Folksam Sweden

• Correlation crash severity and duration whiplash symptoms

• Crash test with car seats

• The effectiveness of whiplash prevention systems based on real life collisions

Rear impacts

All rear-end impacts

35% initial symptoms

10% Permanent disability

Real-life crashes with ”black boxes”

• Car models– Corolla 93-97 + 98-01 + 02->– Yaris– Avensis

• No previous whiplash injury

• No multiple collisions

Example

Delta-V 26 km/h Mean acc 5.6 gPeak acc 12.6 gWhiplash symptoms > 6 mWAD grade 3

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 50 100 150

Acc (g)

DV (km/h)

Time (ms)

Numbers of drivers and front seat passengers with different duration

of symptoms

Driver FSP Total

All 150 57 207

Uninjured 98 34 132

Symptoms < 1m 34 17 51

1m<symptoms<6m 7** 0 7

Symptoms > 6m 11* 6* 17* One lumbar spine injury** Two thoracic spine injuries

Change of velocity

0

20

40

60

80

100

0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-35

No neck injurySymptoms < 1 m1m<symptoms<6mSymptoms > 6 m

Change of velocity (km/h)

Mean acceleration

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10

No neck injurySymptoms < 1 m1m<symptoms<6mSymptoms > 6 m

Mean acceleration (g)

Injury risk in intervals of change of velocity for occupants with initial and long-term

symptoms

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Initial symptomsSymptoms > 1 mSymptoms > 6 m

Ris

k

Change of velocity (km/h)

Injury risk in intervals of mean acceleration for occupants with initial and long-term

symptoms

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Initial symptomsSymptoms > 1 mSymptoms > 6 m

Ris

k

Mean acceleration (g)

Assessment of whiplash injury risk

• Sled test of car seats

• 3 crash severities/seat

• 3 dummy readings

(NIC, Nkm and rebound)

Nissan Primera

24 km/h

Opel Meriva 24 km/h

Results 20035,1 - 10,0 points

Audi A4Yellow ( 5,5 points )

Peugeot 307Yellow ( 8,4 points )

Renault MeganeYellow ( 9,9 points )

Skoda FabiaYellow ( 7,5 points )

Toyota Corolla Model year 1993Yellow (6,8 points)With after market whiplash system

10,1 - 15,0 points

BMW 3-serie Red ( 11,3 points )

Mercedes C-classRed ( 10,6 points )

Opel Astra (Standard)Red ( 12,1 points )

VW PoloRed ( 11,1 points )

Toyota Corolla Model year 1993Red (10,7 points)No whiplash protection system

0 - 5,0 points

Ford MondeoGreen ( 2,6 points )

Opel Astra (Optional)Green ( 4,7 points )

Saab 9-3Green+ ( 0,9 points )

Toyota CorollaGreen ( 3,0 points )

Volvo V70Green+ ( 0,0 points )

Best Pick

Best Pick

Results 20040 - 5,0 Points

Ford C-maxGreen+ ( 2,2 )

Volvo S40Green+ ( 1,1 )

Nissan PrimeraGreen ( 3,1 )

SAAB 9-5Green ( 4,2 )

5,1 - 10,0 PointsAudi A3 - Model year 2005Yellow ( 8,5 )

Citroen C3Yellow ( 9,0 )

Ford FocusYellow ( 7,9 )

Mitsubishi Space StarYellow ( 9,4 )

Opel Meriva (Extra equipment)Yellow ( 7,2 )

Seat IbizaYellow ( 9,4 )

Toyota AvensisYellow ( 7,3 )

VW TouranYellow ( 9,1 )

10,1 - 15,0 PointsAudi A3 - Model year 2004Red ( 13,5 )

Opel Meriva (Standard equipment)Red ( 13,4 )

Best Pick

Best Pick

Results 20055,1 - 10,0 Poäng

Audi A6Gul ( 5,4 )

BMW 1-serieGul ( 9,3 )

Citroen C4Gul ( 8,7 )

Renault ModusGul ( 5,7)

Seat AlteaGul ( 6,7 )

Skoda OctaviaGul ( 5,6 )

Toyota Corolla VersoGul ( 7,4 )

Toyota PriusGul ( 6,8 )

0 - 5,0 PoängIngen grön bil i denna testserie

10,1 - 15,0 PoängMercedes A-klassRöd (12,8)

All rear-end impacts

35% initial symptoms

10% Permanent disability

WhiplashMedical permanent disability 1999-04

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

No whiplash prot. Cars with effective whiplash protection

Pro

port

ion

of d

isab

ilit

ies

(%)

168/ 3005

7/ 289

 

Effect of Volvo and Saab whiplash protection systems (WHIPS and SAHR)

 

Cars without whiplash protection systems (15 892 crashes)

Cars with whiplash protection systems(1813 crashes)

Saab 9000 Saab 9-5

Saab 900 93-97 Saab 9-3

Volvo S40/V40 96-99 Volvo S40/V40 00-

Volvo 850 Volvo S80

Volvo V70/S70 98-00  

 

Average injury reducing effect of whiplash systems in Volvo and

Saab cars (Whips and SAHR)

40% (+/- 21%) lower risk for whiplash injury with symptoms for more than 6 months

Summary

• New whiplash protective systems good effect

• Injury criteria mirror whiplash injury risk

• Consumer tests urgent