1 Non-collision Injuries In Urban Buses – Strategies For Prevention

Public transport is a potentially important part of independent living for older people, but they are over-represented in non-collision bus injuries. This paper reports on a computational modelling approach to addressing this problem: the Madymo human model validated for simulating passive, seated vehicle occupants was adapted to simulate a standing passenger in an accelerating bus. The force/deformation characteristics of the bus were measured and the human model was expanded to include a validated active hand grip. Real world urban bus acceleration profiles were measured and used as inputs for the simulations. Balance loss could not be predicted, but injuries from contact with the vehicle floor following a fall were evaluated