The benefits and development of windows with improved passenger containment

Abstract

In the major railway accidents in Great Britain that have occurred in the past 10 years it became increasingly apparent that a significant number of fatalities and serious injuries had arisen as a result of passengers being thrown out through the vehicle windows. This article describes the work that has been carried out to establish the circumstances related to passenger ejection and the performance of existing glazing systems. It then considers the consequences of making passenger vehicle windows more resistant, both in terms of better containment and any detrimental effects on using the windows as potential escape routes or as a means of access by emergency services. The final part of the work was to produce a specification that would give the desired improvement in safety performance and to establish a practical method of performance demonstration by testing.