SafetySpeak! Vol 8 No 1

SAFETY SPEAK!
Road and Traffic Safety Newsletter
Volume 8, No. 1
January 2013
From the Editor’s Desk...
In this Issue:
From the Editor’s Desk
1
Rules You Should Know
1
The Value of a Helmet
2
Unusual Riding on Indian
Roads
3
Race Track Experience
4
Learning to Deal with Problems at
High Speeds
Track Tests at Kari Motor
Speedway
4
Events: On the Horizon & In
the Rearview Mirror
6
JPRI in the Safety Community
6
Upcoming Conferences and Events
6
Contact Us
6
5
- 481Number of accident cases
investigated to date by
JP Research India (JPRI) as
part of our India traffic studies.
Greetings and Happy New Year. As you can see in this issue, 2012 was a highly
productive, significant year for JPR India, and the infant company has become a toddler! I also
have some exciting announcements which mark the growth spurt we are currently
experiencing.
First, please join me in welcoming Mr. Swaran Sandhu as our new General Manager for JP
Research, India. Second, we are excited to announce that we have opened a second branch in
Pune, India, and we are investigating crashes on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. A second
sampling site in the Western region, in addition to the sites we have studied in the Southern
region of India, will enable us to significantly expand our data collection and research activities
and better address the traffic/injury experience of Indian road users.
This issue describes some of the effort that the JPRI team puts into understanding traffic
crash and vehicle dynamics and the sorts of training exercises the company sets up to ensure
our team members are as safe as possible as they conduct their on-scene investigations. To
learn more about the road safety research we have been doing these past few years, you might
also be interested in attending JPRI presentations at a conference or two. Be sure to check out
the event listings. In particular, I would like to invite all of you to visit us at Stall No. 111 at the
SIAT conference, where we will be showcasing some of our efforts. I hope to see you there.
As yet another year drew to a close, I found myself again reflecting on the changes taking
place in India. I am as amazed as ever at the developments I see on every front, and very proud
of the role JP Research India is playing to make us all safer on India’s roads. Thank you, too,
for being part of the “local conversation” to improve traffic safety.
-Jeya
Rules You Should Know...
Rules of the Road Regulations, 1989
The following rules are aimed at driver actions, prescribing safe practices that require a bit of judgment on the driver’s part. For some examples
of poor driver judgment, check out the stories : “The Value of a Helmet” and “Unusual Riding on Indian Roads”.
Rule 23. Distance from Vehicles in Front
The driver of a motor vehicle moving behind another vehicle shall keep at a sufficient distance from that other vehicle to
avoid collision if the vehicle in front should suddenly slow down or stop.
Rule 24. Abrupt Brake
No driver of a vehicle shall apply brake abruptly unless it is necessary to do so for safety reasons.
Rule 26. Obstruction of Driver
A driver of a motor vehicle shall not allow any person to stand or sit or anything to be placed in such a manner or
position as to hamper his control of the vehicle.
SAFETY SPEAK!
Volume 8, No. 1
Page 2
The Value of a Helmet
A HELMET MAKES SENSE (UNLESS YOU DON’T MIND LOSING YOUR HEAD)
According to the Indian Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, motorcycles
now account for 70% of the total population of vehicles on Indian roads [Road
Transport Year Book, July 2012]. From the graph at right, which shows the
number of two wheelers by year over the last decade, it is evident that the
numbers of motorcycles on the road are increasing rapidly. Unfortunately,
fatalities among motorcyclists are increasing as well, by as much as 25% a year.
Such studies just serve to confirm the obvious: A quick look at any Indian road
would show that motorcycles outnumber every other vehicle. The bad news is
that the same glance would reveal that most of the motorcyclists are not
wearing helmets. There has always been a
negligent attitude towards helmet use in
India. The reality of what might happen if an
Statistics show steady growth in the number of two
accident occurs is easily overlooked in favor of wheelers on Indian roads over the past decade.
the much more pressing concerns of what
approach is cheapest, easiest, and “looks best”. Too many riders consider helmets to be optional (or
worse, an annoyance) rather than a valued and required piece of safety equipment.
Fate of an unhelmeted victim.
Because motorcycle crashes so
often result in fatal head injury
with little other bodily damage,
unhelmeted motorcyclists make
great organ donors. Your mother
would be so proud!
Motorcycles have extreme performance capabilities, with speedy acceleration and high top speeds, but
they are less stable than cars in emergency braking and less conspicuous to other road users. And
because motorcyclists are exposed, they are more vulnerable to crash injuries than car occupants. No
matter what kind of crash situation motorcycle riders
encounter, they could be thrown off their vehicles or into a
solid object. Hence, wearing a helmet becomes vital for
safeguarding that pretty and irreplaceable head.
How does a helmet help ?
Helmets decrease the severity of head injuries in case of
accident, thereby reducing the probability of death or
serious injury. Helmets are designed to cushion and protect a rider’s head from impact forces. A
standard motorcycle helmet has four main parts: the comfort padding liner, the protective
padding liner, the outer shell, and the retention
Cross-section of a full-face helmet
system. Together, these are highly effective in
preventing brain injuries, which often require extensive treatment and may result in lifelong
disability. In the event of an accident, unhelmeted motorcyclists are 3 times more likely to
suffer traumatic brain injuries than helmeted riders. That makes a helmet a real bargain.
Helmets to be SEEN in !
Helmets are available in various styles, including half-coverage, open-face, full-face and
modular, and in nearly any color, decoration, and design imaginable. For safety, full-face helmets are
preferred over other types. (In comparison, half-coverage helmeted motorcyclists, for example, suffer
twice the severity in traumatic brain injuries.) For added safety, riders should consider choosing brightly
colored helmets and adding reflective material to make themselves more visible by day and at night. Not
only must riders be able to see others, they must also BE SEEN by fellow road users.
CAN SOMETHING SO ANNOYING REALLY BE SAFE ?
Even though helmet usage can reduce the severity of an accident, motorcyclists often complain that wearing a helmet reduces their
awareness of their surroundings (blocking peripheral vision and dulling the ability to hear), which could in itself result in an accident. And to
some who are used to the wind in their hair, helmets feel heavy and awkward, which might also affect riding, at least at first. On the other
hand, many of these same riders will willingly reduce their awareness and concentration by wearing earbuds (to keep favorite tunes piped
into their heads) or will carry heavy backpacks and other restrictive clothing and gear while riding. It eventually comes down to priorities and
what one is willing to become accustomed to (just ask any woman who wears high-heeled shoes).
Designers are constantly working to make helmets more of a pleasure to wear, searching for the compromises that ensure safety and yet
attract the eye and are comfortable on the head. (Bicyclists, for example, can now buy cardboard helmets.) But no matter how annoying it
may be to carry and wear a helmet, it is always better than to be unhelmeted and remorseful. And in places where it has been made illegal
to ride helmetless, those who are bareheaded are the ones who stand out and look strange. Safety may begin at home and in the schools,
but it will not go mainstream until riders themselves set the standards of riding “fashion” by showing
- Santhosh Kumar G
the younger generations, by their example, that it is cool to be safe. That is really “using your head”!
SAFETY SPEAK!
Volume 8, No. 1
Page 3
Unusual Riding Observed on Indian Roads
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
In the course of our travels to document crash sites and safety issues, we often come across eccentric motorcycle riding on local roads. If we
were mere civilians, we might simply look upon these unusual displays with amazement and move on, but being crusaders for road safety in
the decade of action for road safety, we find such acts a little worrying — and definitely worth capturing. Fortunately we are always armed
with cameras, which we use to document the myriad anomalies we find during our field work. There could be umpteen reasons for such
unusual road behaviors, but the end result if these go amiss could be drastic, so read on for some lively examples of how NOT to ride!
Easy rider — taking on traffic, single handed
Travelling on a two-lane undivided road with no median line, the rider in this picture was using an
unusual method for operating a motorcycle. As soon as I saw his riding posture, I could not resist
picking up the camera. We were not intentionally following him, but his speed and the road traffic
caused us to tail him for more than ten minutes.
The first thing that caught my attention was that his right hand was on his lap. It is generally
understood that, to ride a two wheeler, one needs to actively apply both hands and both legs in
controlling the vehicle. The right hand not only accelerates the vehicle but also has the control of
the front brake, with the right foot controlling the rear brake. The left hand handles the clutch,
and the left foot changes the gears in sequence. This rider was seen controlling the acceleration with his left hand, no control on clutch.
Daring? More like just plain careless about safety.
In the ten minutes we shared a road, I observed other things about the mystery rider. He was driving at a speed of between 60-70 kmph
(around 40 mph) and passing other vehicles, including our vehicle on a few occasions. At one point, I thought he might be handicapped
(perhaps with an adapted bike), but he quickly proved me wrong when he swung both arms into position and passed another vehicle. No
sooner was he done with that than he was back to his relaxed (and eye-catching) posture. Oops! Talking about his riding, I forgot to mention
the missing safety equipment — a helmet. In an unsafe infrastructure with all kinds of traffic flowing in the same lane, it was reckless of him
to ride a motorcycle in such a manner and without a helmet. Luckily, we did not have to see what would happen if he was faced with an
emergency because I have all too good an idea what the result might be. I guess I should be happy he wasn’t texting with his “free” hand.
Tightly packed on a cycle built for … five ?
Guess who is riding. Confused? Yes, at first glance we thought the person wearing the white shirt was the
rider, but in actuality he is not. To have a closer look, we let the overloaded vehicle draw up beside us and
what we saw caused us to take another picture, discreetly. Viewing from the side, we could see it was the
person behind the assumed rider who was controlling the vehicle. Surprised to see the rider nearly hidden
from sight on his own bike, I wondered, is he equipped with special vision? Absolutely NO. Then how can
he ride the vehicle without clearly seeing to the front? Only he knows the answer.
Also, according to manufacturer’s specifications, the seating
capacity for this kind of two-wheeler is two, and the gross
weight that it should carry is a maximum of roughly 250 kg
(about 550 US lbs). However, here is graphic evidence that
such motorcycles are far tougher than even the
manufacturer thinks they are. It was nice of these people to
devise the ultimate carrying test for this motorcycle, but
perhaps someone should mention to them that the
specifications meant this is the most weight the bike can safely carry. To top it all, no helmet
usage here as well, and while he does have a rearview mirror (something that young riders all
too often, and dangerously, remove for design/aesthetic reasons), he can’t see anything in it.
The balancing stunts that Indian Army personnel do on their heavy duty bikes are fascinating,
but it is not nearly as pleasing to see death-defying stunts performed every day on our roads.
Note that the professional stunt riders wear helmets (as can be seen at left) and do their fancy
riding in shows, not on public roads.
It is worrisome that so many of the motorcycle riders we have observed in India seem overly
confident, careless, and at times callous. What could be more negligent than to risk ones entire
family on an overloaded motorcycle? However amusing, the eccentric behaviors highlighted
above are inherently unsafe. It is time to decry displays such as this if we, as a society, care
about the safety not only of those on the bikes (especially young passengers), but of all those
on the road with them.
- Balakumar S
SAFETY SPEAK!
Volume 8, No. 1
Page 4
Race Track Experience
LEARNING TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS AT HIGH SPEEDS
M Bhuvanesh Bharath Alwar
For those who have chosen traffic safety as a calling, it can be quite an
adrenaline rush just to be around a race track, and to be given access to walk
and drive on one is doubly exciting. So it was with great enthusiasm and
excitement that the JPRI team landed on Kari Motor Speedway (or KMS),
Coimbatore, a few months back.
For most, the very sight of a 2.2 km stretch of clear asphalt would stir a desire to
Layout of the tracks at the Kari Motor Speedway
rev motors and rush around the track. But JPRI had other plans. The track was
rented for a day to conduct a training session and mock drill for handling crashes on high-speed highways. This hands-on training helped JPRI
researchers experience some practical difficulties that might not have been anticipated in planning discussions. The training and the things
we learned from it have already been well incorporated to equip JPRI researchers, particularly those
who began conducting on-site crash investigations on the Mumbai-Pune expressway last month.
In addition, we conducted preliminary tests to validate the conformity of the data we obtain from our
Test vehicles, ready to be studied
software against a real-world scenario. These events were followed up by test runs JPRI had slotted
for taking a high-end passenger car, a fully equipped SUV and a high-end motorcycle around the track
to learn more about built-in vehicle safety features and how they perform under test conditions. The
vehicles we had lined up were a Renault Fluence, TATA Aria, and Honda CBR 250 with combined ABS.
Simply to drive around the track in those cars was fun, but to ride around on a power-packed
motorcycle was, for this researcher, elating and definitely memorable!
For the mock highway drill, the JPRI team was divided into three groups of four to five researchers
each. Each group was given a virtual accident scenario where the researchers were expected to effectively cordon-off a crash site and make
space for safe investigation. The drill highlighted many practical difficulties
and helped JPRI to improve on ways to effectively, and at the same time
safely, conduct crash investigations on the high-speed Mumbai-Pune
expressway. Applying their experience from Coimbatore and the KMS, JPRI’s
Pune team has, to date, safely investigated 21 crashes on the expressway.
Diverting traffic away from accident scene (above)
CordonedCordoned-off accident scene and (representative)
research vehicle parked in fendfend-off position (left)
SAFETY SPEAK!
Volume 8, No. 1
Page 5
Race Track Experience (continued)
TRACK TESTS AT KARI MOTOR SPEEDWAY
For the performance/data verification tests, the first step was to select an effective place to conduct skidskid-toto-stop tests of a hatchback and a
sedan at various speeds (40, 60, 80 and 100 kmph). We wanted to use a track location with few tire marks plus little air resista
resistance,
nce, the latter
judged purely by “feel” as we had no anemometer to measure wind speed (something to plan for in future tests). Although air resi
resistance
stance
factors could not be measured, we did measure skid distances and document the tests and results with video and “crash scene”scene”-type
type
photographs. The photo above shows a sedan in a 90 kmph skidskid-toto-stop event.
The braking mark with safety cone markers, and
(inset) the measurement team in action.
Test Setup and Results
The test plan required a vehicle to be taken along a straight run, accelerated to the
testing speed, and then braked hard from a fixed point. From the initial dry runs it was
observed the braking point was not very conspicuous to the driver, so two safety cones
(one on either side of the braking point) were deployed. A speed gun was handheld by a
researcher standing about 50 -100 m from the braking point (the range of the speed gun
being 450 meters), and videographers and photographers were positioned at key spots to
cover the scene from different angles. A whistle was used to alert and commence tests.
Because speedometers are known to have varying margins of error, the speed gun was employed to capture the
actual speed of the vehicles. The measured speed could vary significantly from the speed shown on the
speedometer (see table, below, for our own findings regarding variance from measured speeds).
Skid and braking distance values were obtained by measurement,
calculation and various methods of deduction. Tire skid marks on
the track were physically measured wherever possible to obtain skid distances (in the absence
of skid marks, measurement values in the table refer to the
braking distance).
As mentioned earlier, the point of the exercise was to compare
real world scenarios against virtual computer models. Although
computer models are built on solid mathematical platforms,
the fact is that virtual reality and real-world data often show
differences. The well-established skid-to-stop formula, D=(S2/
fn) [in SI units], was employed here with all necessary unit
conversions.
Simulations using the
PCPC-CRASH software
Overall Findings
A few of our braking test observations:
 Skid marks and braking distance are not
always equivalent.
 Not all hard braking leaves skid marks.
 Results indicate there could be a
deviation of ± 3kmph between actual
and speedometer-indicated speeds.
Slated speeds
Speeds from
Skid/Braking Distance as:
speedgun
speedometer
measured
calculated
simulated
40
38
42
5.70
6.30
6.39
60
60
65
12.98
15.70
15.84
80
80
85
29.00
27.92
28.14
100
92
100
35.70
36.92
37.17
On the whole, it was an educative day. We were able practice methods and verify points that will indeed help us in our quest to make our
journeys safer. Having data comparing skid distance and actual speeds, for example, will help us improve the accuracy of our crash
investigations and encourage us to look at all the indicators (rather than accept a single measure as indisputable). JPRI has plans to calibrate
its technical expertise with such events periodically. Taking this day at the race track as a first step, we will continue to tread steadily down a
path that we welcome you to join us on — the road to making our travels safer in the years and generations to come.
SAFETY SPEAK!
Volume 8, No. 1
Page 6
Events: On the Horizon & In the Rearview Mirror
JPRI in the Safety Community
JPRI’s S Balakumar attended the 2012 International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury
(IRCOBI) Conference in Dublin, Ireland, this past September. The conference took place over 3
days and drew well over 100 participants. It was an opportunity to meet many of the giants and
pioneers in the traffic injury field, including IRCOBI Council president, Murray Mackay,
Professor Emeritus of Transport Safety at the University of Birmingham, UK, and a director of
the European Transport Safety Council. The conference included thought-provoking and
informative presentations on driver alert control, finite element modeling and much more.
Societal Awareness
In October, JPRI participated in a month-long event named “Time’s Up 2012”, organised by
THEE PAGE MEDIA. The event focused on road safety, fire safety and endangered animal
conservation, with the goals of saving lives and saving the world. The event was held for 24
days in 24 premium apartments in Coimbatore city.
JPRI researchers took turns making presentations
during the entire span
of the event. The
crowd was enthusiastic
and receptive, and
mostly young. We had a
good time and were
surprised and pleased
to see the interest in
safety shown by the
kids.
Upcoming Conferences and Events
The following are a few conferences you may want to attend. JPRI will
be making presentations at these. Note that even if you can’t make it to
the conference, most publish proceedings and some offer free access
to the conference presentations. Check out the websites!
SIAT
Symposium on International
Automotive Technology
Pune, India
http://siat.araiindia.com
INFATS Conference
International Forum of
Automotive Traffic Safety
Hong Kong, China
http://http://infats.hnu.cn
Prof. Murray Mackay at IRCOBI
Fun activities
and skits
helped deliver
critical safety
information at
the Time’s Up
presentations.
January 09-11, 2013
January 15-17, 2013
© JP Research India Pvt. Ltd. 2013. The name SafetySpeak! and distinctive design and logo features of this publication are
the exclusive property of JPR India, and all contents are protected by copyright. Technical articles may be reproduced, in
whole or in part, ONLY with full attribution and written notification to reachus@jpresearchindia.com.
SafetySpeak!
_______________________
Editor in Chief:
Jeya Padmanaban,
President, JP Research, Inc.
JP Research Editors/Writers:
Ravishankar Rajaraman (India)
M. Bhuvanesh Bharath Alwar (India)
Sheryl Siebenborn (USA)
JP Research India
Mission Statement
To mitigate accidents and injuries to
road users in India by helping local
automotive safety organizations,
government agencies, and
manufacturers through accident and
safety research and training, and
creating public awareness of
automotive safety issues.
CONTACT US
______________________
JP Research India Pvt. Ltd.
583/1,1st Floor, Sri Kumaran Salai
Civil Aerodrome Post, Avinashi Road
Coimbatore 641 014, Tamil Nadu India
Phone: +91-422-440-0100
reachus@jpresearchindia.com
www.jpresearchindia.com