Der Allgemeine Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V. (ADAC) und die Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt) veranstalteten am 13. Oktober 2006 in Baden-Baden das 6. Symposium "Sicher fahren in Europa". Die Fachvorträge befassten sich mit den Themenbereichen: Ansätze zu mehr Verkehrssicherheit, - Verbesserung der Fahrzeugsicherheit, - Besondere Zielgruppen. Die CD-ROM dokumentiert die Grußworte, die Referate und die Podiumsdiskussion.
In the context of the COST357 research project, the climatic conditions and requirements for protective helmets for motorcyclists have been examined. The extent to which these factors would influence motorbike handling and accidents in which motorcyclists are involved have also been examined. This project addresses how cognitive abilities of motorcyclists relate to helmet construction factors. In particular, the aspects of motorcycle driver helmets are to be parameterized in order that they may be used subsequently as a basis for future requirement profiles. The task of one working group of the COST357 project has been to analyse accident events and to identify helmet design issues which affect motorcycle drivers while wearing a helmet. This has been achieved by collating accident data across different countries recorded in the course of in-depth investigations at the site of accidents and by combining this with field studies of motorcyclists participating in traffic, but not involved in accidents. This paper presents the study methodology, database and first results of this international survey. The basis of the study has been a total of 424 interviews of motorcyclists and 134 motorcycle accidents, which were collected across Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Turkey and combined in a single database.
Description of road traffic related knee injuries in published investigations is very heterogeneous. The purpose of this study was to estimate the risk of knee injuries in real world car impacts in Germany focusing vulnerable road users (pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists) and restrained car drivers. The accident research unit analyses technical and medical data collected shortly after the accident at scene. Two different periods (years 1985-1993 and 1995-2003) were compared focusing on knee injuries (Abbreviated Injury Scale (AISKnee) 2/3). In order to determine the influences type of collision, direction and speed as well as the injury pattern and different injury scores (AIS, MAIS, ISS) were examined. 1.794 pedestrians, 742 motorcyclists, 2.728 bicyclists and 1.116 car drivers were extracted. 2% had serious ligamentous or bony injuries in relation to all injured. The risk of injury is higher for twowheelers than for pedestrians, but knee injury severity is higher for the latter group. Overall the current knee injury risk is low and significant reduced comparing both time periods (27%, p<0,0001). Severe injuries (AISKnee 2/3) were below 1%). Improved aerodynamic design of car fronts reduced the risk for severe knee injuries significantly (p=0,0015). Highest risk of injury is for motorcycle followed by pedestrians, respectively. Knee protectors could prevent injuries by reducing local forces. The classically described dashboard injury was rarely identified. The overall injury risk for knee injuries in road traffic is lower than estimated and reduced comparing both periods. The aerodynamic shape of current cars compared to older types reduced the incidence and severity of knee injuries. Further modification and optimization of the interior and exterior design could be a proper measurement. Classic described injury mechanisms were rarely identified. It seems that the AIS is still underestimating extremity injuries and their long term results.
Motorcycle riders are one of the most vulnerable road users. Annually, on estimate 6000 people are killed in motorcycle accidents in the former 15 EU countries. The objective of this research was to investigate and analyze the main aspects and causes of this vulnerability and the accidents in general. For this aim around 70 accidents in The Netherlands were investigated in the framework of an international research program (MAIDS). Also a control group of motorcycles with riders was investigated so that exposure could be taken into account. An important result is that human failure is in 82% of the cases the main cause of the accident, in 52% this is due the other vehicle driver. Perception and decision failures are the most common failures. The most injuries are caused by the environment but they are typically only less severe (AIS1). Injuries caused by the car (front and side) are typically severe injuries (AIS4+). Previous convictions of the MC rider seem to be related to the chance to get involved in an accident. It was shown that the Dutch and the total MAIDS accident sample are comparable.
It is well known that motorcycle riding is fascinating but quite more dangerous than for example car driving. In 2006, 5,091 persons were killed as victims of crashes occurring on public roads in Germany. 52% (2,683) were car occupants, 16% (793) motorcycle riders, 14% (711) pedestrians, 10% (486) bicycle riders, 5% (235) commercial vehicle occupants, 2% (107) riders of smaller powered two-wheelers, called "Mofa, Moped and Mokick". This shows that motorcycle riders recently are the second largest group of killed traffic participants in Germany. Latest information coming from the Federal Statistics predict for the year 2007 the figure of 4,958 killed road victims in total. This would be again a successful reduction (-133 killed persons or "2.6% compared to the year 2006). But the news coming from the Federal Statistics during the year 2007 and at the begin of 2008 did not always tell the same positive story. It is questioned whether the positive trend of substantially reduced figures of killed road user year by year will longer continue for Germany. That means it could be impossible to reach the ambitious target, set by the European Commission, to cut in half the figure of killed road users until the year 2010 " compared to the figure for the year 2001. It was reported that the group of 45 to 49 years old traffic participants (all traffic modes) is conspicuous with an increase of 30% up to 297 killed road users in total from January to August 2007. This increase can be ascribed in particular by an increase of killed motorcycle riders within this age group. Due to mild weather conditions in Germany in 2007 the season for motorcycle riding began relatively early and this may be a main reason for the increase of the figure of killed motorcycle riders by 16% from January to August 2007. With this background the accident occurrence of motorcycles became more and more essential. As part of the actual discussion about historical trends, recent emphases, causes and relevant structures of the events of motorcycle crashes it is evident, to have latest and carefully updated figures coming from both the Federal Statistics and In-depth studies. The paper will give a contribution to this using the German Federal Statistics and in-depth studies, for example GIDAS. Additional data coming from the DEKRA Motorcycle Accident Database as well as from literature are considered, too. The paper will help to describe the current situation of the accident involvement of motorcycles in Germany.
Portugal has the highest rate of road fatalities in Europe (2002 and for Eur-15 - CARE database). For this highest rate, the accidents involving pedestrians and motorcycle occupants have a higher contribution than the European average. In the last years, especially accidents involving motorcycles have been investigated and currently two different projects are being carried out, one related with motorcycles accidents and the other with pedestrian accidents. In these projects, countermeasures among others to reduce the fatalities between these two types of road users are being studied. These accidents are investigated with the commercial accident reconstruction software PCCRASH but also new methodologies based on multibody dynamics are in development in order to more accurately study these two types of accidents. In this paper, the methodologies in use for accident reconstruction and new methodologies in development are presented. Speeding his found to be one of the major causes of road fatalities for pedestrians and motorcycle occupants. In the case of motorcycle accidents, these involve mainly young drivers. Aspects as social behavior are also important to understand the causes of some of these accidents. Some examples of accidents occurring in Portugal, involving especially motorcycles and pedestrians are presented and discussed.
Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Untersuchung des Alterungsverhaltens von Schutzhelmen für Kraftfahrer und der Einflüsse der photochemischen Alterung der Außenseite der Helmschale auf die Schutzwirkung des Helms. Für die künstliche Bewitterung wurde ein neues Gerät mit speziellen UV-Leuchtstofflampen nach DIN 53384, Verfahren B aufgebaut, in dem neun komplette Schutzhelme gleichzeitig bestrahlt und beregnet werden können. Für die Untersuchungen wurden Schutzhelme nach der ECE-Regelung 22 mit Helmaußenschalen aus den Kunststoffen PC, PA und UP-GF bewittert, wobei eine maximale natürliche Beanspruchung in vier Jahren Gebrauch simuliert wurde. Nach der künstlichen Bewitterung wurden die Schutzhelme einer Stoßdämpfungsprüfung nach Abschnitt 7.3 der ECE-Regelung 22 unterzogen. Bei den nach ECE-Regelung 22 typgeprüften Schutzhelmen konnte keine Alterung ermittelt werden, die die Schutzwirkung der Helme beeinträchtigt hat. Vergleichsversuche mit älteren Helmen mit Helmschalen aus ABS dagegen haben nach der gleichen künstlichen Bewitterung einen deutlichen Einfluss der Alterung gezeigt.
Accidents with vulnerable road users require special attention within the road safety work because these accidents are often accompanied with severe injuries. Thus In 2006 at least 6200 Powered Two Wheeler (PTW) riders were killed in road crashes in the EU 25 representing 16% of the total number of road deaths while accounting for only 2% of the total kilometers driven. For the prevention of accidents with VRU above all the knowledge of the causes of the accidents is of special importance. This study is based on the methodology of the German In-Depth Accident Study GIDAS. Within GIDAS extensive data on various fields of accidentology are collected on-scene from road traffic accidents with injuries in the Hannover and Dresden area. Using a well defined sample plan the collected data is highly representative to the whole German situation (Brühning et al, Otte et al). The need of in-depth accident causation data in accident research led to the development of a special tool for the collection of such data called ACASS (Accident Causation Analysis with Seven Steps), which was implemented in the GIDAS methodology in 2008 and described by Otte in 2009.
Analysis of the accident scenario of powered two-wheelers on the basis of real-world accidents
(2013)
For the first time since 20 years the German national statistics of traffic accidents revealed an increasing number of fatalities and seriously injured persons in 2011. This negative development was especially caused by increasing numbers in all groups of vulnerable road users (VRU). Furthermore, the comparison of fatality reduction rates between several categories of road users shows that persons on motorcycles show the worst performance over years. Although every second fatality in German traffic accidents is still a car occupant, users of PTW make up more than 20% in the meantime. Assuming further improvements in the field of occupant protection this trend will continue. For that reason, a study on the basis of real-world accidents was conducted to describe the accident scenario involving motorcycles and to identify the reasons of the above-described fact. Approximately 1.800 motorcycle accidents out of GIDAS database were used for the analyses. The first part of the study deals with the question how representative the GIDAS database is for the German motorcycle accident scenario. Afterwards, detailed descriptive statistics on motorcycle accidents were presented considering numerous parameters about the accident scene, environmental influences, vehicle information, individual characteristics, interview data, injury severity and injury causation. One important point is the identification of the most frequent critical situations that are typical for motorcycle accidents. Furthermore, a special focus was on accident causation. Finally, conspicuous facts out of the analysis are emphasized. All in all, the study gives a comprehensive overview about the German motorcycle accident scenario. One the one hand, the use of weighted GIDAS data allows representative and robust statements on the basis of large case numbers; on the other hand highly detailed conclusions can be drawn. The results of the study help to understand the particularities of motorcycle accidents and provide approaches for further improvements in the field of PTW safety.
Die vorliegende Studie befasst sich mit der Untersuchung der aktiven Sicherheit von Motorradschutzhelmen. Es wurden auf einander abgestimmte Messungen in den Untersuchungsfeldern Aeroakustik, Aerodynamik, Temperaturverhalten (Belüftungssystem) und psychophysiologische Leistungs- und Befindlichkeitsparameter (Elektrokardiogramm, Elektromyogramm, elektrodermale Aktivität) sowohl in einem Windkanal und als auch in Form systematischer Fahrversuche (Messfahrten) durchgeführt. Grundsätzlich wurden die Messungen in den drei Geschwindigkeitsbereichen 80, 120 und 160 km/h mit einem unverkleideten Motorrad der Mittelklasse (650 ccm, ABS) absolviert. Untersuchungsgegenstand waren hierbei 12 unterschiedliche, entsprechend ausgewählte, aktuelle ECE-R 22.05 geprüfte Helme. Während auftretende Halskräfte mit einem Kraftmessroboter (dreiachsig) erfasst wurden, diente eine Messpuppe mit Head Acoustic Kunstkopf zur Aufzeichnung von Schalldruckpegeln Eine identische Akustikmesskette konnte in Verbindung mit In-Ear Mikrofonen bei den Messfahrten eingesetzt werden. Die psychophysiologischen Parameter wurden mittels einer mobilen, achtkanaligen Messkette und entsprechend adaptierten Modulen erfasst. Mit der gleichen Messkette wurden die Temperaturverläufe mittels sieben Temperatursensoren (davon ein Referenzwertgeber) zwischen Kopfoberfläche und Helminneren registriert. Der Helmaufbau wurde computertomographisch und zerlegend untersucht. Auf der Grundlage der Ergebnisse können folgende Empfehlungen bezüglich der aktiven Helmsicherheit gemacht werden: - Aeroakustik: Die Messungen lassen Gehör schädigende Schalldruckpegel (Maximalwerte 110 dB(A)) erkennen. - Aerodynamik: Bei einer Geschwindigkeit von 160 km/h wurden Werte für die Auftriebskraft (z-Richtung) zwischen 13 und 28 N ermittelt; für die Widerstandskraft (x-Richtung) solche zwischen 29 und 40 N. Ein akuter Bedarf an Anforderungsformulierungen wurde nicht erkennbar. Temperatur und Belüftungssystem: Maximaltemperaturen waren nicht höher als 36-°C. Nur bei fünf Helmen war unmittelbar nach öffnen der Belüftung ein Kühleffekt messbar. Anhand identifizierter Funktionsdefizite und Gestaltungsfehler von Belüftungssystemen konnten Verbesserungshinweise abgeleitet werden.