Case Studies
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 Trampoline
Injury Analysis A manufacturer of backyard trampolines asked
us to analyze the risk of injury associated with the use of
their product, compare it to the risks of other recreational
activities, and develop appropriate warnings and other safety
information. Safety messages were developed to warn about the
accident patterns and user behaviors that were related to injuries
as determined from our analysis of the accident data and scientific
literature. We refined the words and pictures used in the warnings
based on responses from potential and actual trampoline users.
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| Unintended Acceleration
Related to Pedal Error So-called "unintended acceleration"
in all makes of automobiles occurs when the driver enters the
parked vehicle, starts it, and then shifts to Drive. Reportedly,
the vehicle runs away at full throttle, and the brakes have
no effect, leaving the driver to claim that the vehicle malfunctioned.
Our analysis of these accidents reveals that the driver unknowingly
made a pedal error, placing the right foot on the accelerator
rather than the brake. We have worked with nearly all of the
automakers in these situations, providing evidence supporting
a human-factors explanation rather than a mechanical one. We
examined other types of pedal errors that occur during driving,
showing that unintended acceleration is but a small percentage
of pedal errors generally. One implication of this project is
the notion that the design of automobile pedals must be considered
far more broadly than just in terms of unintended-acceleration
episodes. |
 Child
Safety Seat Installation Study Analysis of accident data
shows that child safety seats reduce the chance of injury to
young children in motor vehicle accidents. Issues related to
proper installation of child safety seats are frequently raised
when a child in a safety seat is injured in a motor vehicle
accident. We recently studied how parents installed a child
safety seat in a motor vehicle. We measured the amount of force
young children were able to apply to release different styles
of latches, and demonstrated that the lack of a locking clip
on the motor vehicle's seatbelt in this incident allowed the
child to loosen the restraint system without unfastening it. |
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 Visibility
and Driver Behavior Nighttime motor vehicle accidents
frequently raise issues of whether a reasonable driver could
have seen a hazard in time to take action and avoid an impact.
One approach involves analysis of the visibility of the hazard,
based on lighting measurements and data; the likelihood of
visibility can be estimated, and specific scenarios can be
represented in computer-generated displays or animations.
Another approach involves using test charts to study contrast
detection in the actual lighting conditions of the accident
scene; the measurements can be used as a basis for preparing
representative photographic images. In either case, final
evaluation includes considering typical driver perception
and response time, as well as factors that may have influenced
behavior in the circumstances of a particular accident.
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