IIHS Small Overlap Impact Test
The news in the auto industry today is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) test of the 2015 Ford F150 that has an aluminum body structure. The test results are mixed. The four-door Super Crew version is only full-size truck on the market with the institute’s “Top Safety Pick” rating. However, the Super Cab version did poorly in a small front overlap test. How is that possible? First off, consider the Super Cab version has an integrated b-pillar with the rear door. The rear doors are hinged from the – C-pillar – rear of the body structure. Based off what we learned over the last few years is the b-pillars got stronger and the ring around the driver door is strong. The Super Cab version is latched at the b-pillar, top and bottom. The picture below highlights how the Super Cab rear door is latched. But could that be the reason?
The four-door Super Crew version has several frame reinforcements that the IIHS believes helped that version preform better than the Super Cab version. The reinforcements are in the pictures below.
Keep in mind that the 2015 Ford F-150 is the first full-size truck to be tested with the IIHS Small Overlap Impact. The Institute picked the F-150 to test first because it is not only the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. but also the first mass-market vehicle with an all-aluminum body. I would guess that other full-size trucks could struggle with the Small Overlap Impact on their super cab versions. The complete IIHS recap of the test is in the video below.
Lastly, rescuers should always pay attention the IIHS tests when researching vehicles for training or teaching. The IIHS post crash pictures provide great insight into possible dash entrapment among the occupants while giving a great picture to ask the what if questions! Take a look at the pictures below from the IIHS’ website.
Overturned Tractor-Trailer Extrication
Check out the overturned Tractor-Trailer, confirmed entrapment, and power pole down that Elizabethtown Fire Dept Station 74 had earlier today.
Quick Tips
Motor City Monday Extrication Tip; Electric Vehicle Battery Pack Reinforcements
As vehicles change, our knowledge must continue to keep pace and expand our mental toolbox. The extrication tool manufacters have kept pace with their cutters, spreaders, and rams to combact these strong steels. It’s our job to stay
Electric Vehicle Battery Pack Reinforcements
Like everything in life, vehicles are changing, well vehicles keep changing. World leaders are pushing green vehicles which will increase our interactions with electric vehicles. First off, let’s look at the common acronyms of several common green and traditional vehicles.
- BEV = Battery Electric Vehicle
- PHEV = Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
- HEV = Hybrid Electric Vehicle
- ICE = Internal Combustion Engine
Unlike BEV, PHEV, and HEV, the term ICE refers to the engine itself, rather than the type of car. Normal/traditional gasoline and diesel cars have internal combustion engines.
Electric Vehicles present several challenges to firefighters with battery fires leading the way. The automakers are designing and engineering extremely strong protective cages around battery packs. We are no strangers finding boron, martensite, and press hardened steels in the pillars, roof rails, and fender wells. However, in a BEV, the rocker panels and cross vehicle reinforcements will have boron and martensite steels to protect the battery pack from collisions that could comprise it. In the images below, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach E has this strong steel in the rocker panels and cross vehicle reinforcements. The automakers can tie in the strong rocker panels into the front fender wells requiring us to make deep cuts during a dash lift or roll.
The image below shows the different testing vehicles are subjected to and a strong battery cage can not only protect the battery pack, but also the occupants of the vehicle.
As vehicles change, our knowledge must continue to keep pace and expand our mental toolbox. The extrication tool manufacturers have kept pace with their cutters, spreaders, and rams to combat these strong steels. It’s our job to stay current where the automakers are using strong steel.
Images from several Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) 2021 Presentations.
Heavy Rescue
Dump truck rolled onto a car
The dump truck attempted to change lanes, struck the passenger car, the load inside the rear of the dump truck shifted, causing the vehicle to list to one side and roll onto the driver’s side roof of the vehicle.
Manheim Township, PA
First off, both drivers required extrication from their vehicles and were taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
The dump truck attempted to change lanes, struck the passenger car, the load inside the rear of the dump truck shifted, causing the vehicle to list to one side and roll onto the driver’s side roof of the vehicle.
Stabilization and Extrication
Towing and Recovery
