Belted driver fatalities in oblique frontal crashes

Fatal crashes with lap-shoulder belted drivers and PDOF up to ±20° of pure frontal involve vehicle deformations and delta Vs that are higher than tests conducted by NHTSA and IIHS. The driver deaths involve significant loading of the chest with multiple rib fractures and organ lacerations. If belted drivers are to be protected, the following need to be considered: higher and lower severity sled tests to optimize occupant restraints, innovations in vehicle structures to reduce intrusion and crash avoidance technologies to reduce the speed of fatal crashes. NHTSA's 90 km/h oblique OMDB test is not severe enough to bring about meaningful changes that lower traffic fatalities. A higher severity test should be considered.