Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Preventing severe Road accidents and injuries
Wolfram Hell (Munich Germany)
Munich Institute of Forensic Medicine
9. October 2015
16th European Traffic Law Days
Budapest
150 Traffic accidents with fatalities / per year (20% from all fatal accidents in Bavaria)
1.500 Cases 2004 -2015
The Biomechanical Accident Analysis Unit
Institute for Forensic Medicine Munich
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Safe crash barrier?
Interdisziplinary Approach HADDON MATRIX
HUMAN (Medicine, Psychology) VEHICLE (Engineering Science)
ENVIROMENT (Street architecture)
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Anthropometrics for modelling
LMU-SafetyAccidentDatabase SAD
150 retrospective Accidents/Year 50 cases prospective/Year
§Deep understanding in Epedimiology of Accidents and Injury Causation
§Accident Chart, Autopsy, Drugs/Alcohol/Pharmazeuticals, Reconstruction, Simulation
Interdisziplinary Approach
Medicine, Accidentreconstruction Safety technology,
Prevention
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
LMU in-depth accident investigation
Child accident case
Old CRS rear right, wrong mounted
Child 28 months, 18 kg Th 10/11 fracture
paraplegia
new car with ISOFIX
CRS 18 years old
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Thoracic spine fracture forward
flexion
Most frequent Causes of death (WHO)
Rank Disease or Injury
1 Ischaemic heart disease
2 Cerebrovascular disease
3 Lower respiratory infections
4 COPD
5 Diarrhoeal diseases
6 HIV/AIDS
7 Tuberculosis
8 Trachea, bronchus, lung cancer 9 Road traffic injuries
10 Prematurity & low-‐birth weight
Rank Disease or Injury
1 Ischaemic heart disease
2 Cerebrovascular disease
3 COPD
4 Lower respiratory infections
5 Road traffic injuries
6 Trachea, bronchus, lung cancer
7 Diabetes mellitus
8 Hypertensive heart disease
9 Stomach cancer
10 HIV/AIDS
2004 2030
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
WHO Traffic deaths worldwide facts
1 2 3
Road traffic
WHO 2004
1.3
Malaria WHO 2008
<1
Tuberculosis WHO 2007
1.8
AIDS-‐related deaths UNAIDS 2008
Mi lli on p eo pl e
1.3
1.3 million deaths 20-‐50 million injured
Goal of the Decade
To halt or reverse the predicted increase
in road traffic fatalities around the world
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Ethical Plattform
§ Human Life and health has highest priority
§ Life and health could be compensated with other benefits
§ Traffic Safety and Accident Analysis is since 1997 State Priority
Vision Zero
Claes Tingvall
per year
> 1 Million Injured
26.000 fatalties in Road Traffic
Societal Costs
over 100 Billion Euro
Accident victims at European Community EU-28
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Traffic Fatalities Germany
Goal Traffic Ministry: 2010 – 2020 - 40%
2013
3338 - 7%
291.037 - 2,9%
2014 1st Half + 10%
+ 10%
Goal not reached
In the year 2012 per day 10 People are killed in Traffic, 1.050 have been injured Per Day the police has reported 6.522 Accidents
Every 8 Minutes a Traffic participant has been severely injured
Every 18 Minutes a child under 15 years has been in an accident Every 146 Minutes a Human was dying
Every 4,9 Hours a Car-Occupant was killed Every 15 Hours a Motorcyclist was dying Every 17 Hours a Pedestrian was killed Every 22 Hours a bicyclist lost his life Every 9 days a Child was dying
Fatalities Germany
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
AIS 1 AIS 2 or 3
AIS 2 AIS 2 or 3 AIS 1,2 or 3 AIS 2
AIS 2, AIS 2 or 3 AIS 1,2 or 3 AIS 3,4 or 5 AIS 2,3 or 4
0 50 100 150 200 250
Economic Expense [Millions of Euro] with Fatalities
Contusio Cerebri Closed Femur Fracture Closed Skull Fracture Fracture Vertebra Closed Lower Leg Fracture Closed Foot Fracture Closed Acromio-Clavicular/Caput Humeri Fracture Open Lower Leg Fracture Tissue Defect Head/ Brain
Open Skull Fracture AIS 2-4
AIS 3-5
AIS 1-3
AIS 2-3
AIS 3-4 AIS 2-3
AIS 2-3 AIS 1-3
The 10 Most Frequent and Most Expensive Injuries
Source: ICS
Killed Children per 1 Mio. Inhabitants in Europe Source: Care Database
Germany England
Romania
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Experience in Germany
What the data bases tell about traffic accidents in the last years (what is applicable in other countries ?)
Main Goal:
Reducing fatalities and severe injuries
Knowledge transfer to foreign countries
And implementation of the konwledge to foreign countries:
IRAN 2011 (70 Million people) (Mashad)
Reduction from 30.000 Fatalites/year to 23.000 Fatalities within one year (Promotion and law/contol with safety belts)
CHINA 2014 (1 billion people)
Approx. > 150.000 Traffic fatalities/year
Reduction of child fatalities/injuries in cars
Information campaigns and influence to politics /law to use Child
Restraint Systems (Currently 1% usage quote)
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich 21
Example:
Child Safety
Establishing a child safety database
Unbelted car occupants
And public information
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Elefant in the back seat
Non-belted 27 kg child forced forward
with 1.200 kg at 48 kph
Collision with 50 kph
with belt
without belt
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Falling height
compared to impact velocity
39 m = 100 kph
19 m = 70 kph
10 m = 50 kph
Safety Belt Lifesaver No. 1
§ The invention of the seat belt from Nils Bohlin (Sweden) is one of the 10 most important inventions for mankind
§ Unitl now the belt has saved the life of 1,5 Mio. Humans
§ In CAR/TRUCK/BUS very effective
§ -50% injury reduction
§ Non-belted front passenger shows at 50 km/h frontal impact an impact force of 3-4 tons
§ Best-use of the rear seat protects the front seat occupants
§ 30-40 % of Fatalities not belted at 95% belt-usage
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Child safety seats
Spinal Cord Injury
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Legs / Arms and Legs paralyzed
PARAPLEGIA (currently NON
REVERSIBLE)
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
AVOID Long Term Injuries
My Handicap APP
Ambassador concept
People with disabilities help people with a fresh road accident
Website: German, French, Dutch, English Ø CH : Cooperation with Rehacare
Ø D : Aktion Mensch Proposal
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
See handicap on the first view
Discover talents
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Joachim Schoss
Initiator My Handicap Foundation Zurich
(Enterpreneur of the decade 2000, Immoscout24, autoscout24 …) Network of handicapped people (esp. CH, D)
Ambassador: Bill Clinton
Influence to politics
Law to use CRS in cars from 0 to 12 Years
If not secured fine by the police or reduction of insurance compensation
Very effective high rate of secured children in Germany
now
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Trend fatalities children Germany
year
No.
Conclusions
1. CRS should be mandatory (controlled by the police) 2. A 95% usage quote should be achieved (nevertheless
5% unbelted are responsible for 30-40% of the fatalities)
3. Parents should be instructed to avoid misuse (especially severe misuse)
4. Old seats might be dangerous so new(er) seats
should be used
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Prevention of head Injuries
Head Injuries Bicyclists
Inproved test standard for helmets
Case: Collision Bicyclist Car with medium velocity
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Case: Head impact
Simulationen of brain injury with Head
model from Strassburg University
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
(1462/01) 14-yo
Bicycle accident, 2 day coma
Good outcome
What is applicable to other countries
1. Increase use and information about Child safety systems in cars
2. Increase safety belt usage rate (front AND Rear seats)
(5% of unbelted are responsible for 30-40% of fatalities in Germany)
3. Better understanding of bicycle/motorcycle accidents helmet use important
bicycle Helmet wearing rate Sweden up to 65%
Switzerland 30%
Germany 7-25%
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Usage Rate of CRS in cars
CRS Germany 95
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austria: 95
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium: 90
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
France: 98
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hungary: ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
India: 5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indonesia: 1 25% Belt
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ireland: 95
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Italy:85
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Netherlands: 95
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poland: 80
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spain: 95
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suisse: 98
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turkey: < 50
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mexico 40%
…
The „right turn“ as the big enimy of the most
vulnerable traffic members
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Always the same accident pattern
Straight bicycle path + green traffic light
PC Crash Simulation Real Accident
Information England
„Blind Spot sticker for TRUCKS
Information
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Accident Prevention right turning trucks Sensors TRUCK
Triximirrors at traffic lights
Camerasystem
1979 Introduction of japanese rule
§ additional side mirror
§ Installation of lateral warning lights
§Glass passenger door
JAPAN
Significant reduction of TRUCK accidents
Japan
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
TRUCK driver workplace
USA Fresnel lens
Freightliner
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Prinzip of Fresnel lens
in GB 40.000 Fresnel lenses distributed accident reduction
price approx. 5 Euro
Pedestrian only in Fresnel lens visable
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Rear end impact
1960 Cervical spine injuries
no head-restraints
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
1990
standard head restraint
2000
intelligent seat concepts
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Dynamic seat test Rear-end accident
Improved car seat
Low Cost car seat
Estimated societal Costs of CSD Injury 2004 (now in most cases significant reduction)
seats approx. 54 CDN$/year) Canada: (cost reduction with better Switzerland: >2 Billion SFR/year
Great Britain: 600-800 Million Pounds/year Netherlands: 0.5 Billion Euro/year
Germany: 1-2 Billion Euro/year (IFM-GDV)
Canada: costs per vehicle- occupant 135 CDN$/year
USA: 10 Billion USD/year (IIHS)
only Rear-end vehicle accidents
Wealthy Countries with high compensation systems show very high economical loss
(Swizerland, Norway, Canada)
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Dynamic seat test (IIHS, Thatcham, Euro-Ncap) Improved car front seats in rear end collision
Reduction up to – 50% of cervical spine distorsion injuries
Significant reduction of costs for insurers
IV. What can insurers do to build a safer and accident (and claims) free world
1. Investigation, Documentation 2. Prevention
3. Education
4. Influence to politics (laws for safety) 5. Campaigns „Elefant in the back seat“
Increase of usage of CRS
6. Measurements against black spot - Trixi mirror 50 Euro
- Fresnel lens 5 Euro - sticker for truck
7. benefits for parents who use CRS
for transport comanies who have black spot detection
8. …
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
Economic Impact
- 10% Reduction of whiplash through Dynamic Seat Test Standard Development
- 30 Mio Euro Research (Chalmers University Dept. Of Injury prevention SE)
600 Mio Euro Benefit to Society
- Reduction of economical relevant Long Term Injuries
- 1 Fatality 1-3 Mio Euro Damage to Society
The human body is fragile
Biomechanics Group @ LMU Munich
