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Pedestrian throw distance can be used to evaluate vehicle impact speed for wrap or forward projection type pedestrian collisions. There have been multiple papers demonstrating relationships between the impact speed of a vehicle and the subsequent pedestrian throw distance. In the majority of instances, the scenarios evaluated focused on the central width of the vehicle impacting the pedestrian. However, based on investigated pedestrian collisions, the location where the pedestrian has engaged with the vehicle can and does significantly influence the throw distance (and projection) and subsequent impact speed analysis. PC-Crash was used to simulate multiple pedestrian impacts at varying speeds and vehicle impact locations, creating pedestrian throw distance impact speed contour plots. This paper presents the pedestrian throw distance impact speed contour plots for a range of nine vehicle types.

When a vehicle is involved in a collision, often a question arises regarding the vehicle's pre-crash velocity. In modern vehicles, velocity data can typically be extracted from the vehicle's Electronic Data Recorder (EDR) via OEM or aftermarket diagnostic tools. However, many modern vehicles - and particularly vehicles operated and/or manufactured in Australia - are not equipped with downloadable EDRs. In these cases, the pre-crash velocity must be calculated based on physical forensic evidence. One method for estimating collision velocity is the crush-energy method, wherein the vehicle is modeled as a spring system. The velocity is then estimated based on the vehicle-specific stiffness properties and on the post-collision crush profile. The vehicle-specific stiffness properties must be derived from a comparable staged crash test. Often, no such crash test exists.