Sicherheit von Bussen, Analysen, Ergebnisse und Bewertungen der DEKRA-Unfallforschung

2000, pp. 135 – 141 (#5)
2000, pp. 154 – 162 (#6)

Since the mid-80's DEKRA, accident research department is investigating bus accidents. In 1995 the research project »Investigation of the Inner Safety of Buses«, which was ordered by the Forschungsvereinigung Automobiltechnik e.v. (FAT), was finished. In the DEKRA crash centre several overturns and crash tests with buses were performed between 1993 and 1996. Between 1996 and 1998 a project called »Accident- and Accident-CostAnalysis of Coaches«, ordered by the Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt) was carried out. This contribution summarizes the most significant results of the studies.
First acknowledgements can be deduced from the official traffic accidents statistics. On the basis of 368 bus accidents, detailed analysed by DEKRA's experts, further insights are given for the pre-crashphase, during overturns or rollovers and during crashes. The results of experimental crashes and overturn tests are complementing the statistical results.
In this context accident avoiding measures and measures to reduce the accident consequences are being discussed. Many of these measures are already implemented in modern buses. In order to get further acknowledgements regarding the accident costs of coaches, 539 written expert opinions were evaluated. The obtained insights are useful in economic assessments of measures regarding the vehicles used in bus traffic. The future task of accident research will be the investigation of the actual benefit of such measures and pointing out potentials of future improvements.

Zitat

Berg, F.A.; Niewöhner, W.: Sicherheit von Bussen, Analysen, Ergebnisse und Bewertungen der DEKRA-Unfallforschung. Verkehrsunfall und Fahrzeugtechnik 38 (2000), pp. 135 – 141 (#5) & pp. 154 – 162 (#6)