Car crash tests measure a vehicle’s structural integrity and its safety features to assess how safe a car is. These tests are used to establish safety ratings that encourage auto manufacturers to strive for improvement. There are various organizations that conduct car crash tests and have their own standard ratings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Euro NCAP are among the credible entities to conduct safety tests to measure the crashworthiness of a car.
In addition to insurance providers and independent entities, automotive manufacturers conduct some tests themselves, which may include virtual crash simulations along with physical runs.
Understanding Car Crash Test
Since every company has its own crash testing criteria and procedure, we will consider the criteria set by NHTSA, IIHS and EURO NCAP to have a basic understanding of these tests.
Crash tests follow certain protocols as it requires preparation of barrier composition, testing vehicles and crash dummies. The tests listed below may vary in terms of parameters for different companies. However, this should give you an idea about how vehicles are tested for crashworthiness.
Frontal Crash Test
Frontal crashes lead to the most serious injuries and they can be fatal. To simulate such a scenario, a head-on collision is tested between two similar weight vehicles. The front end of one vehicle is represented by a fixed deformable barrier. The test vehicle occupied by test dummies wearing seatbelts is driven to crash into the barrier at a certain speed.
You can find out more about how collision system works in a car as well.
Side Pole Crash Test
Side pole crash tests simulate the scenario of a vehicle hitting a rigid object like a pole or tree while driving. Such a case is common when a driver loses control of the vehicle due to slippery road conditions, overspeeding or cornering.
To simulate, the vehicle is propelled into a fixed pole. The direction of motion is done at an angle to mimic real-life scenarios. The impact on crash dummies occupying frontal seats determines a car’s ability to protect against head injuries and the severity of vehicle deformation due to the pole. Front and side airbags are often tested for performance to mitigate such injuries.
Learn more about airbags in car to have an insight on how they work and why are they important.
Side Mobile Barrier Test
Side crashes are next in line. In comparison to frontal impact, side impact offers little protection as there is less space to absorb energy.
The test is simulated by ramming a barrier at a stationary vehicle. In this case, the barrier represents a speedy vehicle. Crash dummies on the driver seat and at the rear test the vehicle for adequate protection against critical regions. Vehicle structural integrity, pillars between the vehicle door and side curtain airbags plays an essential role in protection from side impact.
Rollover Resistance Test
Rollover crashes normally occur when a vehicle drifts off the road and is tripped by a curb, soft soil, ditch or other obstructive objects. Car speed and driver misjudgement are common denominators in such crashes.
The rollover resistance test estimates the risk of vehicle rollover during a crash. Such estimations take the vehicle’s centre of gravity and track width into account to determine how heavy the car is from the top. The more top-heavy the car, the more susceptible it is to rollover.
Modern car safety features like electronic stability control can reduce some risk but does not affect the resistance ratings directly.
Roof Strength Test
Roof strength can increase your safety during a rollover. According to IIHS, the test is conducted by pneumatically forcing a metal plate onto the car roof. The roof is crushed to a certain degree; in the case of IIHS, it goes up to five inches. More force needed to deform or crush the roof to 5 inches account for increased performance of the car in a rollover.
Whiplash or Head Restraint Test
Injuries due to whiplash are not fatal but can result in problems with the spine and neck. The scenario is common when a low-speed car hits a stationary car from the rear. The test assesses the severity of such injuries by using crash dummies.
Based on research by Euro NCAP, whiplash tests promote the use of effective designs for head restraint and seats to mitigate injuries.
Crash Simulations
Crash tests are not always feasible to conduct as they require specific infrastructure and facilities. Various manufacturers utilize modern computers to conduct crash simulations. The simulations can provide good insight to understand the impact of crashes based on the car design, body deformation and energy transformation in addition to injuries.
This is all about car crash tests. Thanks to this feature and other car safety tests, owning and driving a car has become a secure business. If you have been wondering about buying a car, now is the time to have a look at this wide collection of used cars for sale in the UAE.
Stay tuned to our auto blogs for more information on car parts, repairs, market trends and automotive technology.
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