Most people in Kentucky and across the country have seen footage of a crash test using dummies strapped into vehicles to simulate auto collisions. But how many people actually understand how crash tests work? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has made it easier to learn about the logistics of crash testing using stop-motion animation using LEGOs.
About the Animation
The one-and-a-half-minute animation depicts a team of LEGO minifigures preparing the space, performing the crash test, and even cleaning up the debris afterward. The senior research engineer who created the video also works on crash investigation studies in real life. The animation took more than two months to film and uses 1,000 LEGO pieces and 1,500 photographs.
How Crash Tests Work in Real Life
In real life, testers purchase two vehicles of the make and model they are testing. The empty the gas tan and fill it with a testing solution that helps them measure the risk of fire during a crash. The dummies are carefully placed in the vehicles and are coated in greasepaint that lets researchers see where the dummy makes contact with the vehicle. Sensors inside the dummy measure the severity of potential injuries. The team photographs and documents the vehicle as well. After the crash, the team also measures the severity of structural damage to the car.
While crash tests can measure the potential damages that can occur to the occupants of a vehicle in a hypothetical crash, real life crashes can still result in life-altering long-term injuries. Someone who has been injured in such a crash may need assistance pursuing compensation for these damages, and a personal injury attorney could provide the guidance they need.
