Pedestrian and Cyclist Impact: A Biomechanical Perspective

The protection of pedestrians is the most important global road safety priority. This is the first book to provide a detailed treatment of the physical processes which occur when pedestrians and cyclists are struck by motorised vehicles.

The principal focus is to show how pedestrian and cyclist pre-impact movements and vehicle design influence subsequent injury outcome. This involves recourse to several academic disciplines: epidemiology, mechanics, and anatomy/physiology. Therefore this book presents pedestrian and cyclist impact from a biomechanical perspective. It features a detailed treatment of the physics of pedestrian and cyclist impact, as well as a review of the accident databases and the relevant injury criteria used in the assessment of pedestrian and cyclist injuries. New data detailing the kinematics of the impact processes are presented, and the relationship between vehicle impact speed and projection distance and the relative importance of ground related injuries compared to vehicle related injuries is assessed in detail. The final focus is on the complex relationship between vehicle design and pedestrian and cyclist injury outcome in the event of a collision.

This book is a “one stop” source for understanding the mechanics of pedestrian and cyclist impact and is therefore of significant value to both new and established researchers.