The Contact Phase in Vehicle–Pedestrian Accident Reconstruction

Abstract

The need for continuous research to refine the models used in forensic accident reconstruction appears with the development of new car models that satisfy consumer complaints. This paper analyzed a sub-sequence of car and pedestrian accidents from the perspective of the distance traveled by them in the contact phase with the aim of improving the information regarding the reconstruction of road accidents. This research included the analysis of some real tests with pedestrian dummies, as well as simulations of the impact between different classes of vehicles and pedestrians in two different walking positions. Specialized software was used with complex multibody models of pedestrians, modifying the speed and deceleration parameters of the car at the time of the collision. For pedestrian characteristics, the friction coefficients of the ground, car and its mass were modified. The research results highlight the differences between the bilinear models used in accident reconstruction and the proposed study. They can also be used to determine the distance traveled by the vehicle in the first phase of a collision with pedestrians.