Rollover Crash Mechanisms and Injury Outcomes for Restrained Occupants

The study of rollover crash severity is dependent upon its ability to be quantified for benefits analysis. Upon determining a societal good emanating from a sophisticated benefit cost analysis model, such as HARM, a severity metric may be found to be dependent on some countermeasure. In general, the early rollover countermeasures continue to be in force, including: ejection prevention, intrusion control (roof strength), and safety belt improvements. Pursuant to the review of relevant occupant selection and justification of inclusion, this paper identified 2 subgroups for review. Among the restrained occupants, the most numerous group of relevant occupants, the multiple-vehicle configuration and single-vehicle nonfixed-object crashes constituted 2 opportunities for improvement. Multiple-vehicle belted rollover crash occupants had an injury rate twice as high for single-vehicle belted rollover crash occupants. Among restrained occupants, the single-vehicle rollover crashes without fixed-object involvements were selected as a surrogate for the pure rollover case.