Journal article
An image-based method to measure all-terrain vehicle dimensions for engineering safety purposes
Injury prevention, Vol.20(2), pp.115-120
04/01/2014
DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2013-040787
PMID: 23838559
Abstract
Background All-terrain vehicle (ATV) crashes are a serious public health and safety concern. Engineering approaches that address ATV injury prevention are critically needed. Avenues to pursue include evidence-based seat design that decreases risky behaviours, such as carrying passengers and operation of adult-size vehicles by children.
Objectives The goal of this study was to create and validate an image-based method to measure ATV seat length and placement.
Methods Publicly available ATV images were downloaded. Adobe Photoshop was then used to generate a vertical grid through the centre of the vehicle, to define the grid scale using the manufacturer's reported wheelbase, and to determine seat length and placement relative to the front and rear axles using this scale. Images that yielded a difference greater than 5% between the calculated and the manufacturer's reported ATV lengths were excluded from further analysis.
Results For the 77 images that met inclusion criteria, the meanSD for the difference in calculated versus reported vehicle length was 1.8%+/- 1.2%. The Pearson correlation coefficient for comparing image-based seat lengths determined by two independent measurers (20 models) and image-based lengths versus lengths measured at dealerships (12 models) were 0.95 and 0.96, respectively.
Conclusions The image-based method provides accurate and reproducible results for determining ATV measurements, including seat length and placement. This method greatly expands the number of ATV models that can be studied, and may be generalisable to other motor vehicle types. These measurements can be used to guide engineering approaches that improve ATV safety design.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- An image-based method to measure all-terrain vehicle dimensions for engineering safety purposes
- Creators
- Charles A. Jennissen - University of IowaNathan S. Miller - University of IowaKaiyang Tang - University of IowaGerene M. Denning - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Injury prevention, Vol.20(2), pp.115-120
- DOI
- 10.1136/injuryprev-2013-040787
- PMID
- 23838559
- NLM abbreviation
- Inj Prev
- ISSN
- 1353-8047
- eISSN
- 1475-5785
- Publisher
- Bmj Publishing Group
- Number of pages
- 6
- Grant note
- Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/01/2014
- Academic Unit
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Emergency Medicine; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984296982602771
Metrics
40 Record Views