The Fundamentals
What Happens in a Crash
1a - How Injuries Happen
- The first is the crash itself. (Please note, for the purpose of this discussion, the word "crash" is referring to a forward-facing crash. These have the highest level of energy transfer into the vehicle).
- When a vehicle crashes, it decelerates from its forward momentum very rapidly.
- The second is the "human" collision.
- When the car decelerates, the passenger keeps moving (inertia) and comes into contact with something that stops his or her movement.
- The third is the "internal" collision.
- When the passenger stops, his or her internal organs, including the brain, keep moving. This causes damage to the organs because they are anchored to the inside of the body and because they impact bones and each other.
A more detailed look:
The laws of physics say that a body in motion is in motion because it has energy stored in it (in this case the word "body" means any body of mass). To stop that body from moving you must disperse the energy. As far as the human body is concerned, the faster you do this, the more damage you do. If you do it slow enough you can prevent damage.
| Copyright © 2008 MyCarSeat.com | |
| Next: | 1b - How Occupant Protection Systems Work |
| Back to The Fundamentals Directory | |