No. H082/04 For release October 26, 2004 OTTAWA -- A new crash test dummy called WorldSID is making its Canadian debut today at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. WorldSID is intended to improve the understanding of human responses in side impact collisions and ultimately improve the safety of Canadians. Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre launched the WorldSID exhibit, which will be on display at the museum until January 11, 2005. "Transport Canada is committed to using WorldSID in its crash testing to help save Canadians' lives," said Mr. Lapierre. "WorldSID also demonstrates great collaboration between government and industry -- with Canadians benefiting as a result. It will make an important contribution to achieving our Road Safety Vision 2010 goal of having the safest roads in the world." WorldSID (World Side Impact Dummy) was born out of a need to have a world harmonized crash test dummy that would better simulate the motions of a human in side impact crash testing. WorldSID improves on the crash test dummies that are currently being used in collision testing. It was built with state-of-the-art technology, such as advanced shoulder design and unique nickel-titanium rib cage design, that makes it possible to evaluate the effects of vehicle intrusion, side air bag deployments and interior door trim profiles on driver protection. This information, in turn, can be used to guide improvements in occupant safety. WorldSID provides the foundation for a common and internationally accepted regulatory test procedure and will greatly facilitate the comparison of crash test data worldwide. In Canada, over a thousand people are fatally injured and many more are seriously injured in side impact collisions every year, with the most frequently injured parts of the body being the head and chest. It is estimated that over 270 lives can be saved through the introduction of head protection technologies. By using state-of-the-art crash test dummies such as WorldSID, researchers have the opportunity to design even more effective occupant protection and further improve the safety of Canadians. "The Canada Science and Technology Museum is pleased to be working with Transport Canada to present WordSID: a Very Smart Dummy to the museum's visitors. This temporary exhibition allows us to remind Canadians of the valuable research that Canadians conduct in the fields of science and technology and how this research benefits people around the world," said Claude Faubert, Director General of the Canada Science and Technology Museum. The crash test dummy was developed under the direction of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) WorldSID Task Group. Hundreds of engineers and scientists from over 45 organizations throughout the world took part in the design, development and testing. Transport Canada contributed to the development of the specifications of WorldSID, conducted "biofidelity" evaluations to ensure that the dummy responded as a human would, and conducted in-vehicle crash tests to evaluate its performance. Road Safety Vision 2010 aims to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries in Canada by 30 per cent by 2010. For more information, please visit the Road Safety Vision 2010 website at www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/vision/menu.htm A backgrounder on Transport Canada's crash testing program and WorldSID is attached. -30- Contacts: Irène Marcheterre Director of Communications Office of the Minister, Ottawa (613) 991-0700 Anne-Marie Bouchard Communications Transport Canada, Ottawa (613) 993-0055 Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities. BACKGROUNDER WORLDSID AND TRANSPORT CANADA'S CRASH TEST PROGRAM WorldSID is a side impact crash test dummy, designed by scientists and engineers from around the world, including Transport Canada. It represents an important breakthrough towards the harmonization of side impact protection. The crash test dummy was developed under the direction of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) WorldSID Task Group. It provides the foundation for a future common and internationally accepted regulatory test procedure. WorldSID will enable automakers and researchers to increase passenger safety and make possible the comparison of crash test data worldwide. Transport Canada conducts crash tests to evaluate the protection offered to male, female and child passengers exposed to various crashes, including car-to-car, SUV-to-car and car-to pole collisions. Accident data obtained from North America and several other jurisdictions indicate that women are more often involved in car-to-car crashes, while men tend to experience more car-to-pole collisions. In 1998, a test program was initiated to examine the risk of injury to women and young teenage passengers involved in car-to-car and SUV-to-car side impact crashes by using a dummy that is representative in size of a small female. More recently, the significant improvements in measurement capabilities and simulation of human response introduced by WorldSID, which represents an average size male, have made it possible for Transport Canada to initiate the evaluation of protection for men involved in car-to-pole crashes. WorldSID was developed through the collaboration of scientists and engineers from the automotive industry, governments and research agencies. In sharing crash test data with the industry, Transport Canada contributed both to the development of WorldSID and to improvements in side impact protection, improvements that could not have been implemented as quickly had traditional regulatory processes been followed. WorldSID is one example of an innovative approach embraced by Transport Canada to foster a collaborative relationship with industry. Transport Canada engages in several international working groups and industry-sponsored task groups geared towards developing harmonized standards or improving measurement methods. The exchange of research that takes place between Transport Canada and the industry at the working group level keeps Canada at the leading edge of the rapidly changing safety technologies and encourages the timely implementation of corrective measures well in advance of regulatory action. October 2004
