Connecticut - Rollover Simulator

Project Characteristics

Provides reinforcement for mobilization

Collaborative effort

Program Areas

Occupant Protection

Type of Jurisdiction

Local Public Safety Agencies and State Police

Targeted Population

General Public

Jurisdiction Size

3,409,549

Funding

Section 402: $40,450
Other: $120,000 (Volvo of NA)

Contact

Steven Livingston
DOT/Div. of Hwy. Safety
PO Box 317546
2800 Berlin Tpk.
Newington, CT 06131
(800) 594-2364
(800) 594-2374 fax
stephen.livingston@po.state.ct.us

Digest Listing

CONNECTICUT
Rollover Simulator

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

In 2002, Connecticut achieved a 78 percent safety belt usage rate. The difficulty in breaking the 80 percent barrier has been in reaching the part of the motoring public that is most resistant to buckling up. Many people do not understand crash dynamics and particularly the extreme hazard associated with being ejected from the vehicle. Furthermore, in recent years the number of rollover crashes appears to be on the rise resulting in an increased severity of injuries sustained by ejected occupants. Providing a visual simulation of a rollover collision is just one tool that is used to bring the reality of traffic crashes to the public.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The ultimate goal of the Rollover Simulator project is to reduce traffic crash-related fatalities and injuries in Connecticut. Some general interim objectives of the project include:

Reinforcing Connecticut’s safety belt/child safety seat enforcement mobilizations;
Enhancing public/private cooperative efforts in the field of traffic safety;
Increasing safety belt and child safety seat use statewide;
Decreasing severity of injury suffered as a consequence of rollover and other crashes; and
Increasing the number of children riding in the back seat.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

The CT Division of Highway Safety approached a manufacturer of Rollover Simulators and worked with them to modify the existing simulator design (a pick up truck) to a four-door sedan body. This passenger vehicle design was favored because it encourages adults to utilize safety belts. It also demonstrates the value of having buckling up children and using child safety seats properly, which is in the back seat. Three Volvo Cross Country Station wagons (donated by Volvo Cars of North America) are used to transport these Simulators to public events (such as fairs or auto shows) throughout the State. Two local police departments and a State Police barracks house these safety displays and maintain the calendar of public appearances.

The safety display includes two adult-sized crash dummies and one or two child-sized crash dummies that are placed in the vehicle. The dummies are not restrained and the child dummies are placed in varying seating positions to demonstrate different scenarios. The Simulator is then activated and spins to simulate a rollover crash. The dummies, when not properly restrained, thrash about violently inside the cab and are often ultimately ejected from the car. The demonstration is then replayed with the dummies buckled up, which clearly shows the power of proper safety belt use.

RESULTS

Safety belt use in Connecticut has maintained a statewide average of 78 percent (2002). Child seat use increased from 70.4 percent (1997) to 94.1 percent (2001). In 1997, 23.9 percent of children were found to be riding in the front seat as opposed to the most recent findings where only 3.8 percent of children were in the front, while 96.2 percent were correctly placed in the rear seat.

NHTSA