Influence of the front part of the vehicle and cyclist's sitting position on the severity of head injury in side collision.

An injury of cyclists during a collision with a car is currently a neglected topic. Most research projects evaluate in detail the injury of pedestrians, but with an increasing number of cyclists it will be necessary to devote more attention to their safety. This study is focused on the most common type of collision and offers insights into the biomechanics of cyclist's head injury without the use of bicycle helmet. Initial mechanical and kinematic conditions that affect Head Injury Criterion (HIC) after a car hits a cyclist were determined using simulation software MADYMO. In relation to HIC, three different shapes of the front part of the car and three basic cyclist's positions were compared.