Bigger Crash Test Dummies Improve Safety For Obese Drivers
December 1, 2014"Obese people are 78% more likely to die in a car crash." - Chris O' Connor, CEO of Humanetics
Nearly two-thirds of American adults are affected by obesity, and in addition to the health complications associated with obesity, driving can be more dangerous. According to researchers, obese drivers are more likely to die in a car crash than those who are of a normal weight. A study published in the Emergency Medical Journal analyzed data from car accidents reported in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Researchers found that among accidents with similar sized vehicles, drivers with higher body mass index (BMI) were more likely to suffer serious injuries or death. The higher risk is due to more weight placed on seat belts, which can cause failure of the restraint mechanism, and the difference in positioning of larger bodies, such as mid-sections being closer to steering wheels.
Humanetics, the makers of high tech crash test dummies have created prototypes that reflect the realistic proportions of larger drivers. One prototype has already been produced that weighs 273 pounds with a body mass index of 35. The new dummies have the technology to provide four to fives more data than previous crash test dummies. Humanetics will then provide the data to insurance companies and academic institutions for analysis. With the information the most common injuries, and the most common victims, can be established and prioritized for future developments of vehicle safety.
"It allows manufacturers to see things that dummies can't tell them, and they can more easily modify virtual models, such as adding subcutaneous fat to simulate larger people."
View the evolution of the Crash Test Dummy
Photo Credit: Simon Yeo cc
Source: Monks, Kieron and Nick Glass. "Are obese crash test dummies the key to preventing road deaths?" 30 October 2014. CNN Tech.
