Abstract

Overweight and obesity are increasingly becoming a health burden. A German In-Depth Accident Study analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between Body Mass Index and the Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale and Injury Severity Score of drivers and front passengers involved in frontal impacts. These findings were compared with the measurements of two crash tests with an Obese Dummy and the HIII 50th Male dummy. The Obese Dummy, still in its prototype version, represents an obese male car occupant, while the HIII 50th Male dummy represents the average male car occupant. The statistical analysis of the injury data yielded that there is no statistically relevant correlation between Body Mass Index and injury outcome, though previously published findings based on US crash data indicate an increased risk of suffering lower extremity and thoracic injuries with increasing Body Mass Index. The crash tests, however, indicated that the Obese Dummy experienced a higher risk of suffering femur fractures and thoracic injuries than the HIII 50th Male dummy. Future research should be conducted to investigate the causes that led to the different findings based on US and German crash data to generate knowledge that can contribute to improve vehicle safety for all population groups.