On the 20 th of January, 2009, 56-yr-vintage mother-of-three Judith Evans turned into killed while her Peugeot 107 hit a Vauxhall Vectra in a head-on collision in Buckinghamshire, UK. The count number recently went to court docket in which it was heard that the victim sustained more than one fractures and chest and abdominal injuries which the Thames Valley Police observed had been unusually intense given the force of effect.
Experts from Peugeot and Vehicle Safety Consultancy Ltd accept as true with that the 107 have to have provided suitable safety for this sort of crash, and but this became not the case. Why?
Evans' Peugeot 107 met all EuroNCAP protection standards, with the 107 and it is Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo siblings having scored four stars in a 2005 take a look at. It changed into outfitted with the front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters in conjunction with front and aspect frame airbags for each driving force and passenger.
The research shows it can must do with weight. Not the load of the Vectra compared to the 107, as Peugeot has suggested, however the weight of the 107's driving force.
You see, Mrs Evans weighed near sixteen stone (102 kg / 225 U.S. Lbs). Meanwhile Peugeot, following European regulations, never tested the 107 with a dummy weighing greater than 12 stone 14 lbs (seventy eight kg / 172 U.S. Lbs). As such, the safety functions built into the 107 weren't calibrated for a heavier occupant.
The Evans's family lawyer, requested Peugeot protection expert Richard Zeitouni: "Have you tested with any dummies more than 78kg?" Mr Zeitouni, answered that Peugeot had not.
Mr Horner then asked: "So you haven't tested with a weight of dummy that corresponds to 50% of the male population?"
Mr Zeitouni spoke back: "When we designed this automobile we determined it was accurate, good enough protection for the majority of occupants. It's an reliable dummy, a law dummy."
Peter Gloyns, a mechanical engineer from Vehicle Safety Consultancy (VSC) Ltd made this comment:
"The twist of fate increases a extreme query over the steadiness of the response of the total restraint machine for an occupant of this build and weight in an twist of fate of this severity wherein it'd be hoped that excellent protection will be supplied."
The motive force of the Vectra sustained fractures in her kneecap and inner bruising, however become in any other case unhurt in the crash.
A spokesperson from Peugeot advised UK every day 'The Independent' that the agency had no comment to make at this stage.
We'll have extra on this example as we get it.
By Tristan Hankins
Source: Independent
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