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Automobile safety research is a multidisciplinary field that includes epidemiology, mechanical design, failure mechanics, dynamics, medicine and biomechanics. Research at the CAB encompasses each of these, with studies including:

  • Studying injury trends and identifying increased-risk populations in the field
  • Investigating mechanisms and thresholds of injury
  • Determining the mechanical characteristics of the body and its constituent tissues
  • Development and evaluation of dummies and computational models
  • Occupant protection through restraint design, evaluation, and optimization


* Kent, RW, Lessley, DJ, Shaw, CG, Crandall, JR. (2003) The utility of Hybrid III and THOR chest deflection for discriminating between standard and force-limiting belt systems. Stapp Car Crash Journal, 47: 267-297. LINK
* Crandall, JR, Duma, SM, Bass, CR, Pilkey, WD, Kuppa, S, Khaewpong, N, Eppinger, R. (1999) Thoracic Response and Trauma in Air Bag Deployment Tests with Out-of-Position Small Female Surrogates. Journal of Crash Prevention and Injury Control, 1(2): 101-112.
* Forman, JL, Michaelson, J, Kent, RW, Kuppa, S, Bostrom, O. (2008) Occupant restraint in the rear seat: ATD responses to standard and pre-tensioning, force-limiting belt restraints. Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine (AAAM), 52: 141-154.


* Bose, D, Crandall, JR, Untaroiu, CD, Maslen, E. (2008) Influence of pre-collision occupant properties on the injury response during frontal collision. IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. Bern, Switzerland
* Bose, D, Crandall, JR. (2008) Influence of Active Muscle Contribution on the Injury Response of Restrained Car Occupants. Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine (AAAM), 52: 61-72.


* Kent, RW, Lee, S, Darvish, KK, Wang, S, Poster, C. Lange, A, Brede, C, Lange, D. (2005) Structural and Material Changes in the Aging Thorax and Their Role in Crash Protection for Older Occupants. Stapp Car Crash Journal, 49: 231-249. LINK


* Kent, RW, Henary, BY, Matsuoka, F. (2005) On the Fatal Crash Experience of Older Drivers. Annual Proceedings/Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM), 49: 371-391. LINK


* Kent, RW, Forman, JL, Parent, DP, Kuppa, S. (2007) Rear seat occupant protection in frontal crashes and its feasibility. Paper 07-0386, Proceedings of the 20th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV).
* Murakami, D, Kobayashi, S, Torigaki, T, Kent, RW. (2006) Finite Element Analysis of Hard and Soft Tissue Contributions to Thoracic Response: Sensitivity Analysis of Fluctuations in Boundary Conditions. Stapp Car Crash Journal, 50: 169-189. LINK