UPPER NECK RESPONSE OF THE BELT AND AIR BAG RESTRAINED 50TH PERCENTILE HYBRID III DUMMY IN THE USA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

Since 1984, the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has compiled upper neck loads for the belt and air bag restrained 50th percentile male Hybrid III dummy. Over 5 years, in frontal crash tests, NCAP collected upper neck data for 118 passenger cars and 78 light trucks and vans. This paper examines this data and attempts to assess the potential for neck injury based on injury criteria included in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208 (the optional sled test). This paper also examines the extent of serious neck injury in actual crashes as reported in the National Automotive Sampling System. Results suggest that serious neck injuries do occur at higher speeds for crashes involving occupants restrained by belts in passenger cars. Results also suggest that neck tension and extension can reach levels in the NCAP frontal crash tests that are higher than those allowed in FMVSS No. 208. Neck tension and extension are generally higher in light trucks and vans than in passenger cars. When neck responses are examined as a function of the Head Injury Criterion for driver and passenger dummies, no correlation is found.