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An Automated Highway System (AHS) represents the next major enhancement to the Nation's highway system. Envisioned AHS configurations typically require a mixture of intelligence in both the vehicle and the infrastructure. Here, the infrastructure includes the roadway, roadside, check-in and check-out points, vehicle-to-roadside communications systems, and any other systems external to the vehicle that are required for the safe and efficient operation of an AHS. Due to the complexity of an AHS and the required level of safety and reliability, it will be necessary to develop innovative techniques to rapidly and accurately inspect, monitor, and maintain the health of the required infrastructure, particularly after construction and natural disasters, such as earthquakes or flooding.

In this paper, frontal motor vehicle pedestrian collisions are classified according to post-impact pedestrian kinematics observed in real world vehicle vs. pedestrian accidents. Results from in-depth pedestrian accident investigations [1]** provide the medico-engineering basis for this study. It was found that impact-induced pedestrian motion is influenced by the relative configuration of the vehicle and pedestrian at impact as well as the vehicle's impact speed and deceleration rate. Injury patterns were found to be dependent on the trajectory type in addition to impact severity and characteristics of the vehicle and roadway. Five basic kinematic trajectories have been identified for frontal collision cases and are described as: wrap, forward projection, fender vault, roof vault, and somersault. Pedestrian injury patterns are analyzed for each of the trajectory types; an injury risk index is defined; and the associated injury risks are compared.