Compatibility of Vehicles with Safety Barriers: Head Ejection Through Side Windows

The safety performance of roadside features may depend not only on barrier but also on vehicle behavior. Best results require efficient synergy of barrier and vehicle, or compatibility. Examples of problems where such compatibility may be needed are discussed. One of these problems—head ejection in collisions with high-containment barriers—was investigated with an accident survey, full-scale tests, and laboratory sled tests. One of the conclusions is that, with high-containment barriers suitable for narrow medians, partial head ejection occurs systematically and may represent a high risk. Head containment in such collisions should be mandatory for crashworthy vehicles. This can be easily obtained with laminated glass, without window frame reinforcement. The conclusion is that vehicle and barrier crashworthiness standards should be linked. Collisions with safety barriers are statistically significant events and should be considered among vehicle passive safety items.