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Paper Title:
Evaluation and testing
of Police vehicle rollover stability
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Authors:
George Rechnitzer, Effie
Hoareau, Noelene Deveson, Shane Richardson
Abstract:
Following some serious
and fatal Police vehicle rollover crashes in Victoria, major concerns
were raised by the Police Force regarding safety and the handling
performance of certain Police vehicles. As a result, a study of
vehicle handling and stability for different vehicle types in the
Police fleet was carried out by MUARC for the Police Force in Victoria.
This Stage 1 study comprised two main tasks: (i) analysis of the
Police vehicle accident database with regard to determining the
incidence and rate of rollover involved crashes for each vehicle
type; and (ii) determine stability and dynamic handling characteristics
of a range of Police vehicles using Tilt Table tests, and Steady
State Turning and a Double Lane Change Manoeuvres. 13 vehicles were
tested for centre of gravity height (Tilt Table) and a further 6
for handling evaluation. The tests were carried out by the Army
Engineering Agency (AEA) Mechanical Laboratories, at the Army's
Monegeetta Proving Grounds.
The analysis of the available
crash data, together with the stability and handling test helped
identify vehicle models which had an unacceptably high rollover
risk. As a result of this work Police changed certain key vehicles
in their fleet. This work has also resulted in reviews of Police
vehicles rollover stability in other States in Australia.
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