Autombile bumper standoff and collision repair cost

Measurements were made on thirty-six 1977–1980 cars concerning the relative placement of certain components known to exhibit high collision repair cost. The intention was to help identify car features that increase collision repair cost. The measurements were developed from a concept termed BUMPER STANDOFF, defined as the shortest head-on distance from the bumper (either the inner edge, or the reference barrier placed at the outer edge, perpendicular to the car's longitudinal axis, depending on the component distance being measured) to specific components exhibiting high repair cost or frequency. High correlations in the range of r = 0.47–0.82 (p < 0.05-< 0.01) were found between the front fender standoff distance and headlamp standoff distance vs. claim cost and claim frequency. The first structure likely to be impacted for our overall sample in a simple head-on collision, after the bumper, was the headlamp(s), front fender, hood, or grille, with correlations between 0.48 and 1.00 (p < 0.05-0.00). The front fender was singled out among the subcompacts, while the grille predominated for the compacts and intermediates (r = 1.000, p = 0). Results from these laboratory measurements are essentially in agreement with those results obtained from actual crashes in other studies. That is, they all share very high damage frequency and claim or repair cost rankings for the front fender and headlamp(s). Likewise, measurements relating to the first structure impacted, after the bumper, hold promise as predictors of component damage frequency and claim frequency, in relation to headlamp, front fender, and possibily hood and grille measurements. Bumper standoff measurements are proposed as useful indications of a passenger car's damageability in low speed collisions.