New ISO standard for pedestrian impact test drives progress in safety

The number of pedestrian leg injuries caused by dangerous car design should be reduced thanks to an ISO International Standard defining a new crash test method.

According to the World Health Organization, road traffic accidents kill more than one million people a year, injuring another thirty-eight million (five million of them seriously). The death toll on the world's roadways makes driving the number one cause of death and injury for people aged 15 to 44.

ISO 11096:2011, Road vehicles – Pedestrian protection – Impact test method for pedestrian thigh, leg and knee, sets out a test method to assess the protection of an adult pedestrian by simulating the leg-impact conditions sustained during the car-to-pedestrian crash.

Sukhbir Bilkhu, Chair of the ISO subcommittee that developed the standard, commented: “The pedestrian impact test simulates accidents in which a pedestrian is hit by an oncoming vehicle. These accidents represent about 15 % of fatal crashes. Thanks to ISO 11096, we will make substantial progress in improving vehicle structure, and in so doing, reducing pedestrian lower-limb injuries.”

The test will assess the most hazardous areas of the bumper, bonnet leading edge and bonnet of each model. This is done by firing dummy body parts at those areas, simulating accidents at 16 km/h and 20km/h on an adult pedestrian. The data gathered is then assessed, using internationally recognised protocols, and scores are determined for various parts of the crash test.

This work, based on scientific and biomechanical data gathered in collaboration with experts around the world, will be used by International Harmonized Research Activities (IHRA) Pedestrian Safety Working Group and the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), Pedestrian Safety global technical regulation (PS gtr). It is also helping fulfil the aims of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT).