Test crash replicates children’s experiences in a school bus collision
As it reports on traffic accidents across the country, the staff of FindMyAccident too often sees occurrences of collisions involving school buses.
Photos illustrating the aftermath of some of these accidents can be easily found on the Internet, but what is the experience like for those riding in the bus?
A FindMyAccident staff member recently toured the campus of Westfield, Indiana-based IMMI, where a simulated crash test demonstrated the effects these collisions can have on the vehicle’s young occupants.
The safety equipment manufacturer wasn’t testing any of its products during the April 12 display but did provide an accurate replication of a real bus crash. The equipment, moving at 30 miles per hour, collided with the same force as a school bus, featured standard bus seats and used dummies that costs more than $10,000 apiece and very closely mimic the weight and movements of real human bodies.
While an IMMI technician said the front seat would be far less likely to become a projectile in a real crash, the video does show that, even at the relatively low speed of 30 mph, it’s easy to see how such a crash could cause harm to passengers onboard.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports on average, over the past 11 years, school buses have been involved in over 26,000 crashes, resulting in less than 1,000 incapacitating injuries and slightly more than 7,000 non-incapacitating injuries and possible injuries to passengers.
