Analysis of a Real-World High-Speed Rollover Crash from a Video Record and Physical Evidence

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis and reconstruction of a real-world, high-speed yaw and rollover of a sport utility vehicle that occurred on paved and unpaved surfaces with uneven topography. A law enforcement videotape of the crash, along with detailed inspection and measurement of the subject vehicle and accident site, enabled quantitative analysis of the event. The physical evidence was correlated with video images of the real-world rollover to obtain detailed information of the rollover mechanics throughout the sequence. The initial speed of the vehicle was 79 mph and its speed at overturn was 54 mph. The vehicle rolled six revolutions. The average roll rate for the entire sequence was more than 300 degrees/second, with peak values approaching 540 degrees/second. The rollover deceleration was found to be non-uniform during the sequence, and ranged from approximately 0.6 g to 0.2 g. Comparison with analytical results obtained from a reconstruction approach using typical values of constant deceleration indicates reasonably close agreement for overturn speed and average roll rate.