ANATOMICAL AND BIOMECHANICAL STUDY OF INJURIES OBSERVED DURING EXPERIMENTAL PEDESTRIAN-CAR COLLISONS

This study examines the impact in a pedestrian/car collision when the bumper comes into contact with the lower limbs, i.e. from below the middle thigh downwards. Two reference positions of the subject in relation to the vehicle were adopted: (1) the subject received the impact from the front and the two lower limbs were hit almost simultaneously and (2) the subject received the impact by smashing into the left lower limb. The subjects were fresh cadavers, close examination of the progression of the impact was filmed at 500 frames/second and the cadavers underwent a full medical examination, and X-rays and a complete autopsy after the simulated accidents.