Crashes between passenger vehicles and large tractor trailer vehicles often result in serious injuries and death. There have been few studies of this class of crash involving the side of the large tractor trailers and the passenger vehicles. Studies have shown that side underrides are underreported in crash records. A literature search has shown that there are no generally accepted methodologies to document and scientifically reconstruct a side underride accident. Some of the problems existed because there was a general lack of information on the side underride crash. Rear underride crashes were being studied which yielded helpful information. This led the authors to study a series of trailer side underride crashes that were performed to determine if there were sufficient relationships between passenger vehicle body and roof styles and the side of large highway trailers to allow the development of a general formula for underride impact speed analysis of a vehicle where the roof and roof support structure of the vehicle was damaged. These tests provided valuable insight into the relationships between passenger vehicle roof structures and the sides of large box trailers.
Braver, Elisa et al., “Incidence of Large Truck-passenger Vehicle Underride Crashes in the Fatal Accident Reporting System and the National Accident Sampling System. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.” Presented at the 76th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C. January 12-16, 1997. Also presented at the Heavy Vehicle Underride Protection TOPTEC, April 15-16, 1997, Palm Springs, CA
CRASH - Cal Span Reconstruction of Accident Speeds on the Highway.
Campbell, Kenneth L.,“Energy Basis for Collision Severity”, SAE Paper 740565
Tomassoni, J. E., “Additional Insights to the Underride Problem and Concerns,” Presented at the SAE Heavy Vehicle Underride Protection TOPTEC, April 15-16 1997, Palm Springs, California
Enz, Bruce E., Oshida, Yoshiki, Head, Douglas N., Tomassoni John and Sances AnthonyJr.,“Mathematical Approach to Side Underride Vehicular Accidents,” Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing, Vol. 13, No. 1-2, pp. 136-151, 2001
Midwest Institute of Safety, Indianapolis, IN. 2346 Lynhurst SDr. #E107
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