Out of position (crash testing)

Out of position (OOP), in crash testing and car accident medical literature, indicates a passenger position which is not the normal upright and forward-facing position.[1] For example, a common case observed in crashes is the position of an occupant when reaching for the car radio,[2] or panic braking in unbelted passengers.[3] The concept is of interest because small changes in a passenger's position can have profound effects on the actual kinematic response, especially in rear impacts, as shown both in practical testing and theoretical models.[1]

Two crash test dummies inside a Jeep Cherokee after an out-of-position side airbag test.

Risk of injury

Out of position occupants are at increased risk of injury. Even low speed impacts can cause disc herniation and lumbar fracture on OOP passengers.[2] Airbags can prove fatal on OOP passengers:[4][5][6] modulating the airbag folding pattern has been proposed as a method to reduce injuries.[7] Crash testing has shown increased forces acting on the neck and torso when dummies were leaning forward and not upright; a partial correlation with the seat stiffness has been observed, with stiffer seats increasing the force loads on the upper neck.[8]

References
  1. Stephen M. Foreman; Arthur C. Croft (2002). Whiplash Injuries: The Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration Syndrome. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 104–. ISBN 978-0-7817-2681-8. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  2. Larry S. Nordhoff (2005). Motor Vehicle Collision Injuries: Biomechanics, Diagnosis, And Management. Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 513–. ISBN 978-0-7637-3335-3. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  3. Society of Automotive Engineers (1 March 2004). Air bags and belt restraints. Society of Automotive Engineers. ISBN 978-0-7680-1412-9. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  4. Michael Griebel; Marc A. Schweitzer (2003). Meshfree Methods for Partial Differental Equations. Springer. pp. 249–. ISBN 978-3-540-43891-5. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  5. Hans-Joachim Bungartz; Michael Schäfer (14 September 2006). Fluid-Structure Interaction: Modelling, Simulation, Optimisation. Springer. pp. 101–. ISBN 978-3-540-34595-4. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  6. Mary Roach (17 May 2004). Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 93–. ISBN 978-0-393-32482-2. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  7. Malczyk, A; Adomeit, H-D (1995). "THE AIRBAG FOLDING PATTERN AS A MEANS FOR INJURY REDUCTION OF OUT-OF-POSITION OCCUPANTS". Proceedings of the 39th Stapp Car Crash Conference, November 8-10, 1995, San Diego, California, USA (SAE Technical Paper 952704): 19035. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  8. Benson, B.R.; Smith GC; Kent RW; Monson CR (November 1996). "EFFECT OF SEAT STIFFNESS IN OUT-OF-POSITION OCCUPANT RESPONSE IN REAR-END COLLISIONS". Proceedings of the 40th Stapp Car Crash Conference, November 4-6, 1996, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA (SAE Technical Paper 962434): 331–44.
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