ISO Releases New Crash Impact Standard
The ISO 11096:2011 standard will inform consumers about pedestrian safety and help manufacturers develop vehicles with excellent pedestrian protection.
ISO has published a new crash test method that should reduce the number of pedestrian leg injuries caused by dangerous car design, according to the organization. ISO 11096:2011, Road vehicles – Pedestrian protection – Impact test method for pedestrian thigh, leg and knee, establishes a test method to assess the protection of an adult pedestrian by simulating the impact conditions during a car-to-pedestrian crash.
According to ISO, this test method will both inform consumers about pedestrian safety and help manufacturers develop vehicles with excellent pedestrian protection.
Sukhbir Bilkhu, who chairs the ISO subcommittee that developed the standard, said the test "simulates accidents in which a pedestrian is hit by an oncoming vehicle. These accidents represent about 15 percent of fatal crashes. Thanks to ISO 11096, we will make substantial progress in improving vehicle structure, and in so doing, reducing pedestrian lower-limb injuries."
The test will assess the most hazardous areas of vehicle's front end by firing dummy body parts at those areas, simulating accidents at 16 km/h and 20km/h on an adult pedestrian. Scores are calculated for various parts of the crash test.
ISO announced the standard Oct. 25 and said the work was based on scientific and biomechanical data gathered in collaboration with experts around the world.