Abstract
The acceleration severity index (ASI) is used to evaluate the potential for occupant risk in full-scale crash tests involving roadside safety hardware. Despite the widespread use of the index across Europe, there is a lack of research relating this metric to occupant injury in real-world collisions. Recent installation of event data recorders (EDRs) in a number of late-model vehicles presents a different perspective on the assessment of the validity of occupant risk based on the ASI. EDRs are capable of electronically recording data such as vehicle speed, brake status, and throttle position just before and during an accident. Of particular interest is the EDR's ability to document the deceleration of a vehicle during a collision event. This research used EDR technology to investigate the correlation between the ASI threshold limits and the potential for occupant injury in crash events. The longitudinal ASI was found to be a good predictor of overall injury, and the intent of the current preferred threshold value of 1.0 appears valid. Limitations include investigation of the longitudinal direction only, lack of injuries on the abbreviated injury scale (AIS) in excess of AIS 3, and no control for occupant compartment intrusion.
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