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During the 1990s a series of projects carried out at Monash University, together with reference to studies in Europe, USA and Brazil, have led to the development of recommendations for performance criteria for rear underride (or underride) barriers for heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonne. The work focussed on the development and crash testing of high capacity, yet practical, rigid and energy absorbing systems catering for both centred as well as offset impacts. The limitations of current international regulations are discussed, and recommendations for improved performance criteria to achieve effective rear underride barriers are presented.

This paper includes an overview of a collaborative research project of Improved Side Impact Protection (ISIP) that commenced in 1997. The research program was sponsored by the Australian Research Council and involved a partnership of industry, government and research agencies, both in Australia and overseas. The overall aim was to develop a new approach to optimizing vehicle design using Harm as the main outcome criteria. The program involved a number of research activities including mass data analysis, in-depth real-world crash investigations, simulation modelling and the development of a family of Injury Assessment Functions. The paper outlines the structure and progress of these activities, summarizes the results and provides an overview of the optimizer model emanating from this research.

This paper reports on the status of work of the International Harmonized Research Activities (IHRA) Side Impact Working Group (SIWG) as at its 11th meeting prior to the 17th ESV conference in Amsterdam in June 2001. This includes decisions made and the reasons for them as well as identifying outstanding issues that require resolution.

This paper reviews Australia's involvement in reducing road trauma by the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services in both the domestic and international arena since the 16th ESV in Windsor, Canada. The paper the will focus on the following points: The road toll, National Road Safety Strategy, International Harmonized Research Activities committee, Intelligent Transport Systems, International Harmonization, and New Vehicle Safety Regulations.

This paper reports on a parametric study of side impact crash tests. Relative changes in injury risk are assessed for both front and rear struck side occupants in tests with variation of mass, stiffness, geometry and speed of the impacting mobile deformable barrier. The study concludes that the ground clearance of the MDB face and impact velocity have a significantly greater effect on injury risk than the other parameters. The paper also includes consideration of tests to further investigate the effects of mass ratio between the struck and striking vehicle. This cooperative project between the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services and Transport Canada includes analysis of intruding door behaviour and consequent effects on injury risk.

The seat belt wearing rate in Australia is over 95% in the front seats. All new passenger cars will be required to comply with Australian Design Rule (ADR) 69 for full frontal impact occupant protection by 1996. ADR 69 has similar injury criteria to US FMVSS 208 except that the test is done with dummies restrained by the vehicle's lap sash seat belts. Vehicle manufacturers have indicated that the majority of passenger cars will be fitted with at least driver's side airbags to demonstrate compliance. The two largest selling Australian family cars are now fitted with driver's side airbags as standard equipment. This paper reports on a series of offset crash tests in support of the work being done by the European Experimental Vehicle Committee to develop a harmonised offset frontal crash test procedure to address non-full frontal crashes. There is a need for a full frontal rigid barrier crash test in addition to the offset deformable barrier test requirement.

Child restraints in Australia have incorporated upper tether straps since their introduction in the mid 1970s. A new Australian Design Rule (ADR) for child restraint anchorages in vehicles was developed to facilitate installation, interchangeability between vehicles, and reduce the likelihood of misuse. The aim was to write the new ADR to be as least design restrictive as possible while still achieving these objectives. This was achieved by: Tightly specifying the mating interface between the child restraint clip and the vehicle anchor bracket. Recommending clearance requirements around the vehicle anchorage point to allow the installation of the anchor bracket and subsequently the clip to the bracket. Following this first stage, manufacturers will be required to install one anchor bracket to the vehicle at time of manufacture from 1994.

A new Australian Design Rule (69100) for a full frontal impact test was developed using Australia's high seat belt wearing rate and US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 as the basis. This Design Rule sets performance requirements by way of injury parameters measured by instrumented dummies. The research included testing seven passenger car models to gauge current performance. This was followed by an occupant restraint optimisation program on one of these car models to provide an indication of potential for injury reduction. This work examined the effect on dummy kinematics (and its effect on injury potential) of emerging restraint technology such as buckle pretensioners, webbing clamp retractors, energy absorbing steering wheels and airbags.