The Traffic Accident Reconstruction Origin -Article-

Accessing NHTSA Crash Tests Database Information

The following information is a guide map to the National Highway Traffic Safety Admininstration's Crash Test Database. The way to use this article is to print this page. Then you can link around on the web and follow these directions step by step. Once you have downloaded the database you will be able to obtain and extract information from government sponsored vehicle crash tests. A wealth of information lies dormant waiting for you.

How to get Crash Test Information from the NHTSA Crash Test Database

• Step 1: Go to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ . (Lots of graphics)

• Step 2: Click on the red car - identified as CARS Vehicle and Equipment Information.

• Step 3: Click on RESEARCH.

• Step 4: Click on Safety Systems Engineering and Analysis.

• Step 5: Click on Crash Test Database. This will bring you to http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/nrd10/nrd11/databases.html

• Step 6: Now you need to download the listings of tests themselves. Click on Vehicle Information and save this file to your hard disk. (390k compressed)

• Step 7: The Vehicle Information file is zipped using GZIP. To download GZIP, look in the text above and click on HELP. PKzip will also expand these files.

• Step 8: Follow the instructions on this page and click on GZIP v1.2.4 Sources (NHTSA) (TAR Archive).

• Step 9: Run the GZIP executable and save to your hard disk.

• Step 10: Change to the directory where GZIP is located. Type GZIP_:\(dir)\veh.zip where _ is your hard disk and (dir) is the directory where GZIP is stored. This should unzip veh.zip to vehdb_ca. This file will inflate to about 3.75 Mb.

• Step 11: Using an ASCII text reader like WordPad in Win95, open vehdb_ca. Browse through the vehicle name sorted listing of tests. Once you find the vehicle of interest, make note of the TEST NUMBER (the first number on each line). The following few lines show how this file should appear when properly displayed. Note each line of text scrolls well off the screen to the right ------>

  
  2249	            2	18	MAZDA          	15	323-PROTEGE              	           95	4S	FOUR DOOR SEDAN          	JM1BA141950118047   	4CTF	4 CYLINDER TRANSVERSE FRONT   	1.5         	MF	MANUAL - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE    	   1235.000	   2604.000	   4342.000	   1706.000	   1061.000	NA	NOT APPLICABLE 	UNK	UNKNOWN                  	P	PRODUCTION VEHICLE  	NO COMMENTS                                                           	   4342.000	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	   4145.000	   4145.000	9999.9     	      0.000	            0	          270	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	DE	DIRECT ENGAGEMENT   	DE	DIRECT ENGAGEMENT   	      0.000	    203.000	    175.000	     65.000	     10.000	      0.000	09LPAW9	   1676.000	   -138.000	    318.000	   4324.000	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	9999.9     	   4142.000	   4147.000	9999.9     	           27	           90	NO COMMENT                                                            	
  2250	            1	27	BMW            	10	325 I                    	           95	4S	FOUR DOOR SEDAN          	WBACB4326SFM07085   	S6IF	STRAIGHT 6 INLINE FRONT       	2.5 LITERS  	AR	AUTOMATIC - REAR WHEEL DRIVE  	   1717.000	   2690.000	   4423.000	   1696.000	   1400.000	UN	UNKNOWN        	UNK	UNKNOWN                  	P	PRODUCTION VEHICLE  	NO COMMENTS                                                           	   4423.000	   3941.000	   3337.000	   3058.000	   3060.000	   3066.000	   3070.000	   1965.000	   1965.000	   2020.000	   2025.000	   3009.000	   3007.000	   3230.000	   3234.000	   2580.000	    277.000	    408.000	   4255.000	   4260.000	    575.000	     56.500	            0	            0	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	    408.000	    464.000	    514.000	    493.000	    413.000	    320.000	12FDEW3	   1524.000	      0.000	    514.000	   3910.000	   3680.000	   3083.000	   3060.000	   3059.000	   3035.000	   3035.000	   1971.000	   1965.000	   1990.000	   1992.000	   2980.000	   2988.000	   3160.000	   3174.000	   2694.000	    308.000	    416.000	   3935.000	   3852.000	    575.000	999          	999          	NO COMMENTS                                                           	
  2251	            1	76	SOLECTRIA      	02	E-10                     	           95	PU	PICKUP TRUCK             	1GCCS1446SK100668   	ELEC	ELECTRIC MOTOR                	999999999999	OT	OTHER                         	   2028.000	   2755.000	   4782.000	   1689.000	   1584.000	UN	UNKNOWN        	NAP	NOT APPLICABLE           	P	PRODUCTION VEHICLE  	TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS DRIVING REAR WHEELS                               	   4782.000	   4449.000	   3666.000	   3422.000	   3410.000	   3400.000	   3400.000	   2269.000	   2264.000	   2272.000	   2272.000	   3345.000	   3348.000	   3643.000	   3586.000	   2922.000	    318.000	    490.000	   4654.000	   4627.000	    821.000	     47.200	            0	            0	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	    603.000	    635.000	    729.000	    733.000	    671.000	    635.000	12FDEW3	   1415.000	      0.000	    746.000	   4036.000	   3960.000	   3378.000	   3173.000	   3280.000	   3297.000	   3384.000	   2176.000	   2189.000	   2192.000	   2236.000	   3192.000	   3210.000	   3439.000	   3437.000	   2747.000	    253.000	    421.000	   4019.000	   4024.000	    821.000	999          	999          	STEERING COLUMN COVER COVERED COLLAPSE MECHANISM & SHEAR CAPSULE      	
  2252	            1	07	DODGE          	40	STRATUS                  	           95	4S	FOUR DOOR SEDAN          	1B3EJ56H9SN528687   	V6TF	V6 TRANSVERSE FRONT           	2.5 LITER   	AF	AUTOMATIC - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE 	   1626.000	   2743.000	   4740.000	   1640.000	   1097.000	UN	UNKNOWN        	UNK	UNKNOWN                  	P	PRODUCTION VEHICLE  	NO COMMENTS                                                           	   4740.000	   4175.000	   3100.000	   3360.000	   3354.000	   3325.000	   3315.000	   2220.000	   2217.000	   2208.000	   2205.000	   3325.000	   3325.000	   3740.000	   3730.000	   2815.000	    360.000	    400.000	   4570.000	   4560.000	    445.000	     57.000	            0	          180	DE	DIRECT ENGAGEMENT   	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	    245.000	    348.000	    433.000	    440.000	    340.000	    250.000	12FDEW2	   1640.000	      0.000	    515.000	   4225.000	   3930.000	   3705.000	   3347.000	   3354.000	   3309.000	   3315.000	   2200.000	   2204.000	   2196.000	   2205.000	   3320.000	   3319.000	   3560.000	   3625.000	   2825.000	    375.000	    335.000	   4270.000	   4265.000	    445.000	999          	999          	1995 DODGE STRATUS 4-DOOR SEDAN                                       	
  2253	            1	01	CHEVROLET      	31	CAVALIER                 	           95	4S	FOUR DOOR SEDAN          	1G1JC5243S7115672   	4CTF	4 CYLINDER TRANSVERSE FRONT   	2.2 LITER   	AF	AUTOMATIC - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE 	   1433.000	   2636.000	   4565.000	   1545.000	   1081.000	UN	UNKNOWN        	UNK	UNKNOWN                  	P	PRODUCTION VEHICLE  	NO COMMENTS                                                           	   4565.000	   3833.000	   3450.000	   3052.000	   3050.000	   3054.000	   3048.000	   2011.000	   2013.000	   2014.000	   2008.000	   3001.000	   2997.000	   3430.000	   3475.000	   2585.000	    375.000	    420.000	   4400.000	   4400.000	    450.000	     56.500	            0	          180	DE	DIRECT ENGAGEMENT   	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	    350.000	    510.000	    550.000	    566.000	    500.000	    390.000	12FDEW3	   1545.000	      0.000	    566.000	   4020.000	   3590.000	   3285.000	   3052.000	   3035.000	   3038.000	   3025.000	   2005.000	   2005.000	   1998.000	   1992.000	   2995.000	   2979.000	   3265.000	   3360.000	   2583.000	    375.000	    355.000	   3970.000	   3990.000	    450.000	999          	999          	1995 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 4-DOOR SEDAN                                  	
  2254	            1	33	SUZUKI         	02	SIDEKICK                 	           95	UV	UTILITY VEHICLE          	JS3TD03V8S4101003   	4CIF	4 CYLINDER INLINE FRONT       	1.6 LITER   	A4	AUTOMATIC - FOUR WHEEL DRIVE  	   1471.000	   2477.000	   3990.000	   1575.000	   1313.000	UN	UNKNOWN        	UNK	UNKNOWN                  	P	PRODUCTION VEHICLE  	NO COMMENTS                                                           	   3990.000	   3485.000	   2935.000	   2749.000	   2750.000	   2725.000	   2723.000	   1727.000	   1716.000	   1732.000	   1722.000	   2725.000	   2723.000	   2990.000	   2980.000	   2290.000	    360.000	    480.000	   3940.000	   3940.000	    460.000	     56.300	            0	          180	DE	DIRECT ENGAGEMENT   	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	    430.000	    466.000	    508.000	    513.000	    481.000	    450.000	12FDEW3	   1575.000	      0.000	    514.000	   3476.000	   3255.000	   2814.000	   2707.000	   2715.000	   2706.000	   2705.000	   1700.000	   1709.000	   1713.000	   1708.000	   2705.000	   2705.000	   2864.000	   2864.000	   2260.000	    340.000	    565.000	   3470.000	   3495.000	    460.000	999          	999          	1995 SUZUKI SIDEKICK 4-DOOR MPV                                       	
  2257	            1	77	KIA            	01	SEPHIA                   	           95	4S	FOUR DOOR SEDAN          	KNAFA1212S5212498   	4CTF	4 CYLINDER TRANSVERSE FRONT   	1.6 LITERS  	AF	AUTOMATIC - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE 	   1290.000	   2487.000	   4316.000	   1690.000	   1072.000	NA	NOT APPLICABLE 	NAP	NOT APPLICABLE           	P	PRODUCTION VEHICLE  	MAKE & MODEL IS KIA SEPHIA                                            	   4309.000	   3794.000	   3243.000	   3022.000	   3022.000	   3012.000	   3008.000	   1966.000	   1965.000	   1954.000	   1949.000	   2986.000	   2980.000	   3245.000	   3239.000	   2570.000	    291.000	    433.000	   4225.000	   4225.000	    460.000	     56.500	            0	            0	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	NA	NOT APPLICABLE      	    475.000	    501.000	    538.000	    522.000	    491.000	    481.000	12FDEW3	   1270.000	      0.000	    538.000	   3785.000	   3553.000	   3185.000	   3025.000	   3020.000	   3000.000	   3003.000	   1958.000	   1960.000	   1944.000	   1946.000	   2970.000	   2968.000	   3156.000	   3216.000	   2565.000	    288.000	    389.000	   3744.000	    750.000	    460.000	999          	999          	INSTR. PANEL COVERED STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSE MECHANISM               	
  
  

  A summary of the most important columns of information follows
  • Column #1 This is NHTSA's test number.
  • Column #4 The Vehicle Make
  • Column #6 The Vehicle Model
  • Column #7 The Vehicle Year
  • Column #29 The angle of collision (0=front,90=right,180=rear,etc.)

  The meaning of each column is available at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/ftp/nrd10/nrd11/vehicle_db/vehdb.txt

• Step 12: Return to your Browser and follow Steps 1-5 or just enter the following: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/nrd10/nrd11/databases.html

• Step 13: Go down the page to find UDS browsing facility in the last paragraph and click.

• Step 14: Let's find information on Test Number 2249. Side impact into a 1995 Mazda 323-Protege. Arrow down to Series 2200 and click.

• Step 15: Arrow down to Test 2249 and click.

• Step 16: Click on repv2249.doc. Note that there are 24 UDS files associated with this crash test. These represent accelerometers and other data collectors positioned in the vehicle and give detailed information, usually in a graph form. This is what you can expect repv2249.doc to look like.

• Step 17: There is a plethora of information here.

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