An American Auto Safety Tragedy - Automotive Safety Analysis
An American Auto Safety Tragedy - Automotive Safety Analysis
An American Auto Safety Tragedy - Automotive Safety Analysis
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People Safe In Rollovers February 2007<br />
<strong>An</strong> <strong>American</strong> <strong>Auto</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>Tragedy</strong>:<br />
ROOF ROOF CRUSH<br />
CRUSH<br />
In 1962 the Impact and Roll-Over Test Procedures Subcommittee of<br />
the Society of <strong>Auto</strong>motive Engineers (SAE) was formed in order to develop<br />
test procedures for evaluating vehicle structural integrity under various<br />
types of impacts. (Deadly By Design reference 14) The subcommittee's members<br />
included representatives from General Motors (and Fisher Body - a division<br />
of General Motors), Ford Motor Company, Chrysler Corporation, Kaiser<br />
Jeep Corporation, International Harvester Company, Volkswagen of<br />
America, Inc. and <strong>American</strong> Motors Corporation. (DBD - 15) In June 1963 the<br />
subcommittee developed and approved the SAE Recommended Practice,<br />
"Roll-Over Tests Without Collision - SAE J857." (DBD - 16)<br />
On October 6, 1966 the Secretary of Commerce announced the<br />
development of initial Federal motor vehicle safety standards pursuant to<br />
the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle <strong>Safety</strong> Act of 1966. (DBD - 34) The<br />
Static Crusher was then being developed at Fisher Body by James Augustitis,<br />
an associate senior research engineer. (DBD - 35) Fisher Body was<br />
responsible for building the vehicle bodies for General Motors.<br />
In August of 1967 the Impact and Roll-Over Test Procedures Subcommittee<br />
developed and approved SAE Recommended Practice,<br />
"Inverted Vehicle Drop Test Procedures - SAE J996." (DBD - 36) By mid<br />
August the subcommittee's work on test procedures was nearing completion.<br />
Members used the top drop test procedures as a means for obtaining<br />
values for drop height and encroachment distance. The procedure<br />
was designed to be a repeatable and reliable test methodology. It was<br />
concluded that initially vehicles should be dropped from 2 feet. (DBD - 37)<br />
Only a week or so after the subcommittee's Inverted Drop Test - SAE<br />
J996 was approved, and the recommended drop height of 2 feet was<br />
initially established, Fisher Body dropped two 1967 Chevrolet "B" 4 door<br />
hardtops from 6 inches which resulted in 8 inches of dynamic intrusion.<br />
(DBD - 38) Fisher Body tested the same 1967 Chevrolet "B" 4 door hardtop<br />
with the static crusher and the vehicle's roof withstood 6000 pounds with<br />
just 3 inches of crush. (DBD - 39)
People Safe In Rollovers February 2007<br />
Immediately after General Motors' vehicles failed the two drop tests<br />
on September 6 and 7, Ed Klove of Fisher Body prepared a proposal of a<br />
Roof Crush Test Procedure. (DBD - 40) P.O. Johnson of Fisher Body (and also a<br />
subcommittee member) presented Klove's proposal to the SAE Impact<br />
and Roll-Over Test Procedures Subcommittee on September 29, 1967.<br />
Klove's proposal stated its advantages: "more impressive numbers are<br />
obtained - three inches crush for 6000 lb. load. (A six inch vehicle<br />
drop height allowing eight inches crush is not impressive)." (DBD - 41)<br />
Fisher Body now realized that all their vehicles would not even meet a<br />
drop height of 6 inches. (DBD - 42) Klove's proposal dared to pose the question,<br />
"Who can say that it does not provide as good a measure of vehicle<br />
safety as does an inverted drop test?" (DBD - 43) It was Klove's idea to suggest<br />
this test procedure as an alternative method of showing compliance.<br />
(DBD - 44) Fisher Body's nickname for the Static Crusher was "GOLDFINGER."<br />
(DBD - 45)<br />
On December 8, 1971, NHTSA adopted General Motors' proposal<br />
(one that GM's vehicles could already pass) (DBD - 47) and announced that<br />
FMVSS 216 was being created as a temporary alternative to FMVSS 208<br />
rollover testing. (DBD - 60) The December 11, 1971 NHTSA News Release<br />
read: "The new standard is intended as an alternative to Standard No.<br />
208 rollover test, and will become effective on August 15, 1973. After<br />
August 15, 1977, Standard 216 will no longer be a substitute for rollover<br />
test of Standard 208, and is expected to be revoked by then." (DBD - 61)<br />
On August 15, 1977 NHTSA did not revoke FMVSS 216 and substitute<br />
it with the rollover Standard 208 as was originally planned. In the last 35<br />
years there has been no dynamic rollover requirement implemented for<br />
FMVSS 208 or any other federal motor vehicle safety standard and there<br />
have been no upgrades to FMVSS 216 other than extending the same<br />
passenger car roof strength requirements to light trucks and vans in 1991.<br />
(DBD - 62) The result is what you see on the following pages. The auto manufacturers<br />
are aware that there is no occupant survival space built into the<br />
design of these vehicles in the event of a rollover accident.<br />
It is not just 10,000 deaths and 16,000 seriously injured in rollovers<br />
each year, it is entire families that are torn apart in a split second for each<br />
of these deaths and serious injuries. This is truly an <strong>American</strong> auto safety<br />
tragedy.
Paraplegic<br />
John Hess<br />
28 year old<br />
passenger<br />
1975 Ford F-150<br />
Kimberly Schute<br />
Paraplegic<br />
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
Frank Bolf<br />
42 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
1997 GMC Sierra<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
35 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Robbie Lambert<br />
18 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1985 Chevrolet S10 Blazer<br />
Fatality<br />
Raleigh Allen<br />
16 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac<br />
Amy Chestnutt<br />
21 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Fatality<br />
1992 Chevrolet Suburban
Robert Granger<br />
Ventilator Quadriplegic<br />
Brain Injury<br />
17 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
1995 Chevy Suburban<br />
Fatality<br />
Bing Lin Duan<br />
1999 Chevrolet Astro Van<br />
Francie Cohen<br />
Severe Brachial<br />
Plexus Injury<br />
1999 Ford Windstar<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
65 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
36 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Patrick Parker<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
Fatality<br />
37 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
2001 Ford SuperDuty<br />
F250 SuperCab<br />
Jessica Garcia<br />
16 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
1993 Ford F-150 Pickup<br />
Claudette Phillips<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
39 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Erika Janeth Sierra Romero<br />
Fatality<br />
30 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer<br />
Ventilator<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
Loa Griesbach<br />
1999 Chevrolet Suburban<br />
Fatality<br />
Raul Ibarra<br />
1998 Ford Explorer<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
18 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
12 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
Yvonne Graham<br />
50 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Brain Damage<br />
Fatality<br />
2000 GMC Jimmy<br />
Gloria Montanez<br />
mother<br />
belted driver<br />
1996 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup<br />
Penny Shipler<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
30 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
1996 Chevrolet S10 Blazer
Benetta Buell-Wilson<br />
47 year old<br />
Paralyzed<br />
belted driver<br />
1997 Ford Explorer<br />
Lambert Cox<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1994 GMC Yukon<br />
Claire Duncan<br />
Fractured Skull<br />
Fatality<br />
2000 Ford Explorer<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
57 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
26 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Leticia Valencia<br />
Fatality<br />
35 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
1998 Chevy Tahoe<br />
Ricky Hughes<br />
30 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1988 C/K Pickup<br />
Sonya Savant Duhon<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1995 Ford Explorer<br />
24 year old<br />
belted driver
Frances Oxendine<br />
54 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Fatality<br />
2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer<br />
Phillip Blanchard<br />
Neck & Spine<br />
Injuries<br />
1994 Ford Explorer<br />
Jeanine Valenti<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1994 GMC Jimmy<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
57 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
34 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
<strong>An</strong>ita Bushong<br />
32 year old<br />
Quadriplegic belted driver<br />
1993 Nissan Pathfinder<br />
Joanne Barker<br />
Fatality<br />
Positional Asphyxia<br />
34 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
1999 Chevy S10 Blazer<br />
Michelle Lowery<br />
Paraplegic<br />
34 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
1997 Silverado 1500 Pickup
Frank Floyd Heath<br />
18 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Fatality<br />
1996 Chevrolet Suburban<br />
Mark R. Pixley<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1997 Chevrolet Suburban<br />
Daniel Shannon<br />
Fatality<br />
1998 Chevrolet S10 Pickup<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
43 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
42 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Charles H. Jordan<br />
Fatality - Blunt Force<br />
Trauma to Head<br />
60 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
2000 Sierra 3500 Pickup<br />
Brian Stocker<br />
40 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
Ejection<br />
Fatality<br />
1998 Chevy S10 Blazer<br />
Fred Douglas Boyd<br />
54 year old<br />
rear seat passenger<br />
1989 Ford Bronco II
Ching Wai Kee<br />
43 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1996 GMC Jimmy<br />
Robert Disque<br />
Ejection<br />
Fatality<br />
1999 Ford Explorer 2-door<br />
Monica Flores<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
2002 Ford Explorer 2-door<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
15 year old belted<br />
front seat passenger<br />
26 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
Christopher Lee Cowan<br />
Fatality<br />
29 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
2003 Chevrolet Extended Cab<br />
Silverado Pickup<br />
Joshua Mull<br />
19 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1988 Chevrolet S10 Pickup<br />
Katelyn Cahill<br />
16 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
Paraplegic<br />
1997 Chevy Tahoe 2-door
Jose H. Gonzalez<br />
53 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Fatality<br />
1996 Ford Explorer<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
Landon Groff<br />
1999 Chevy Silverado K1500<br />
Devin Brian Newton<br />
Cervical Fracture<br />
1992 GMC Yukon<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
19 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
25 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Adam Robert Dylewski<br />
Fatality<br />
24 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
2002 Chevrolet Blazer 2-door<br />
Janet Marie Scott<br />
43 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
Fatality<br />
1995 GMC Suburban<br />
James William Long<br />
16 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1985 Chevrolet S10 Pickup
Thomas V. Milo<br />
29 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Fatality<br />
1992 Chevrolet S10 Blazer<br />
Matthew W. Alan<br />
Fatality<br />
Severe Head Trauma<br />
2001 Ford Explorer SportTrac<br />
Louisa Zepeda Atkinson<br />
Fatality<br />
1997 Chevrolet S10 Blazer<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
36 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
50 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Tabatha Tartar<br />
16 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1991 Chevrolet S10 Blazer<br />
Felipe Alvarez<br />
25 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Paraplegic<br />
1996 Chevrolet S10 Blazer<br />
Roelga Sarmento<br />
53 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1988 Chevrolet S10 Blazer
Azucena Duran<br />
Traumatic<br />
Brain Injury<br />
44 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
1998 Chevrolet Blazer<br />
Jessie Marie Varelas<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
2002 Chevrolet Blazer<br />
Billy Wayne King<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
1989 Sierra 1500 Pickup<br />
ROOF CRUSH VICTIMS<br />
33 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
31 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
Timothy John O‘Reilly<br />
Fatality<br />
Fatality<br />
36 year old<br />
belted driver<br />
2000 Ford Explorer<br />
Terry Tripp<br />
34 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
1993 Chevy K1500 Blazer<br />
Lonnie Harrison Lusk<br />
49 year old<br />
belted passenger<br />
Quadriplegic<br />
2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
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