ASHBURN, Va. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Each year, more than three million people are injured in car accidents, and every 12 minutes, someone dies in a crash. With so many cars on the road, it's a trend that's likely to continue and get worse! But now, high-tech crashes helping save lives.
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Shannon Parks' time with her kids is precious now -- especially after a car crash almost took her life. "I went through the intersection and there was a woman coming who ran a red light and then T-boned me at about 45 miles an hour," Parks told Ivanhoe. It took Parks a year to recover from her injuries. Her car was totaled and she was terrified to get back behind the wheel. "I was scared to drive after that," Parks recalled. "I didn't ever want to be in cars with other people."
Now, mechanical engineers are helping make cars safer and stronger during accidents. They're taking crash tests off the field and into the computer lab and re-creating crashes in a 3-D view. "With simulation, you can study different aspects of it," Pradeep Mohan, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer at the National Crash and Analysis Center in Ashburn, Va., told Ivanhoe. "You get multiple views."
Computer software creates models of cars and crash tests. The tests can be viewed from every angle. The software can remove specific sections of the cars, revealing underlying damage. Ultimately, simulations help design better cars that hold up better in collisions. "In this, you can take parts apart. You can understand what's going on within the few areas that cannot be seen in a physical test." Dr. Mohan explained. The simulations have helped better predict which parts might fail during an accident, improving car design at every level.
Shannon feels safe now in a newer car, but still proceeds with caution. "As a matter of fact, I get teased because I tend to look both ways on a one way street," Parks said. You can never be too careful keeping safe.
Computer simulations provide car makers with better information about what happens when smaller cars collide with large vehicles, like SUVs. As a result, the design of the SUV has been adjusted so they are less lethal to passengers in smaller cars. To find out how safe your car is, visit www.safercar.gov.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.
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Each year, more than three million people are injured in car accidents, and every 12 minutes, someone dies in a crash. With so many cars on the road, it's a trend that's likely to continue and get worse! But now, high-tech crashes helping save lives.
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