Relationship between occupant injury and the perturbation mark on the velocity indicator on a cluster panel

A perturbation mark is occasionally produced on the velocity indicator of the cluster panel of a vehicle during a vehicle collision. This mark can be used to estimate the velocity of the vehicle at the moment of the vehicle’s impact. In this study, the effect of the impact velocity and the deceleration of the vehicle on the perturbation mark were investigated, and an analysis of the driver’s injury was also conducted through a numerical pulse representation and computer simulations. Sled and pendulum tests were used to replicate the conditions that produce a perturbation mark on the velocity indicator of a cluster panel. It was verified that a higher peak acceleration is more likely than the impact velocity to cause a perturbation mark. According to the computer simulation results, a driver’s injury could be more severe at higher peak accelerations with a constant impact velocity. If a perturbation mark, which can be used to estimate the impact velocity, is found while investigating a vehicle accident, this mark reveals that the acceleration was higher than that listed in the related crash report. Therefore, the injuries of the occupants could be more serious than those expected at the reported impact velocity.