J.5 CIREN Photo Addendum v1.2.1.pdf

CIREN Photo Addendum to

NHTSA Field Crash Investigations Photography Protocol

February 2022

Version 1.2.1

Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network – Phase V

CONTENTS

0 Introduction

1 Scene Photography

1.1 On-Road or Off-Road Rollovers

2 Vehicle Exterior Photography

2.1 Side Impacts

2.2 Tires

2.3 Fuel System

3 Vehicle Interior Photography

3.1 Views Through Open Doors

3.2 Steering Assembly

3.3 Instrument Panel – Left Third

3.4 Interior Door Panels

3.5 Seating

3.5.1 All case occupant seat position(s)

3.5.2 First row case occupant seat position(s)

3.6 Belt Restraints

3.7 Inflatable Restraints

3.7.1 Side Airbags

3.7.2 Knee Airbags

3.7.3 Seat Cushion Airbags

3.7.4 Inflatable Belts

3.8 Child Safety Seats

4 Image Sanitization

5 Identification and Categorization

0 INTRODUCTION

The NHTSA Field Crash Investigations Photography Protocol (FCIPP) manual describes the standard photography protocol used by all NHTSA investigation-based field data collection programs: Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS), Special Crash Investigations (SCI), and Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN). This document is an addendum to the FCIPP manual that contains additional requirements specific to field (vehicle and scene) investigations performed as part of the CIREN program. This document describes modifications and additional requirements to the protocol presented in the FCIPP manual applicable to the date of the crash, and this document must be viewed as a companion to the FCIPP manual. The contents of this manual are organized in a manner similar to the FCIPP manual with section and figure references provided to improve clarity. It is important to note that this document does not cover requirements for photos of the CIREN case subject – those requirements are described in the CIREN Process and Coding Manual.

Assessment of injury causation in CIREN relies heavily on photographic evidence from the case vehicle and scene, so extensive, high-quality photographic documentation is a critical responsibility of the CIREN field investigators. In CIREN, the photographic requirements are focused most heavily on the objects and areas that the case occupant may have interacted with during the crash events. The field investigator shall approach the photographic documentation task with this in mind and seek to acquire comprehensive photographic evidence to support the case review process and subsequent research needs. CIREN field investigators are encouraged to capture any potentially useful photographic evidence during the inspections, as questions frequently arise in case review sessions that may be answered by reviewing case photos.

1 SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY

The only notable exception for Section One: Scene Photography deals with marking or labeling of the trip point and first landing area associated with rollovers. Additionally, CIREN investigators are encouraged to capture extensive views of the terrain over which the case vehicle travels in off-road impacts – characteristics of the terrain aid researchers in understanding occupant motion during off-road travel prior to impact and are valuable during case review.

1.1 ON-ROAD OR OFF-ROAD ROLLOVERS

• The photo of the trip point or rollover initiation area shall include a marker identifying the first landing – use a traffic cone or other obvious marker when staging the photo at the scene if safety is not compromised

• A photo focused on the first landing area must be captured

• Additional views across the terrain of the rollover area may be beneficial, but are not required

2 VEHICLE EXTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Most of the additional requirements for Section Two: Vehicle Exterior Photography involve taking photographs of the damaged area for side impacts. When acquisition of exterior vehicle photos of non-CIREN case vehicles is possible, the recommended best practice is to adhere to the guidelines provided in the FCIPP for the overhead and damaged plane(s) relevant to the CIREN case vehicle’s events – the full range of exterior photography is not required and the investigator shall use their best professional judgement to obtain the evidence necessary to support reconstruction and provide relevant evidence for case review given Institutional Review Board (IRB) restrictions and availability of non-consented vehicles.

2.1 SIDE IMPACTS

• For side impacts (vehicle-to-vehicle where frontal plane of opposing vehicle impacts side plane of CIREN case vehicle) where the CDC specific horizontal location involves the door/sill area (SHL=P, Y, Z, D), additional close-up photographs shall be taken to demonstrate the amount of maximum lateral door crush in relationship to the sill as depicted in Figure 1. This photograph shall provide visual documentation of the door sill deformation (DSD) measure. An additional photograph of this region shall document the vertical height of the crush from the sill or ground using vertical and lateral calibrated rods as in Figure 2.

• Additional images showing the pillars (e.g., A-pillar, B-pillar, etc.) shall also be captured to demonstrate engagement of these structures.

Figure 1: Measurement of DSD with lateral calibrated rods

Figure 2: Measurement of vertical height of crush with vertical and lateral calibrated rods

2.2 TIRES

• The photography requirements for tires specified in the FCIPP apply only to CIREN case vehicles – do not capture photographs of tires from non-CIREN case vehicles

• Starting in calendar year 2020, CIREN stopped coding Tire Identification Number (TIN) in CISSWeb.

Instead, a photo depicting the TIN shall exist for each tire. The image of the TIN shall allow an end-user to unambiguously decipher the full TIN.

2.3 FUEL SYSTEM

• The photography requirements for the fuel specified in the FCIPP apply only to CIREN case vehicles – do not capture photographs of the fuel system from non-CIREN case vehicles

3 VEHICLE INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Most of the additional photography requirements for CIREN case vehicles are related to Section Three: Vehicle Interior Photography. No interior photos are required for non-CIREN case vehicles, and the following guidelines apply only to the consented case occupant’s vehicle.

3.1 VIEWS THROUGH OPEN DOORS

Include photos of the roof trim panel across the vehicle as viewed from the door openings for rollover crashes as depicted in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Roof panel view from driver's side door opening

3.2 STEERING ASSEMBLY

When photographing the steering assembly of a vehicle involved in a crash with longitudinal deceleration (crashes with frontal components), include views of the underside of the steering column to capture the steering column energy absorber components. The view shall depict, whenever possible, the movement or compression of the energy absorbing elements that may have occurred in a frontal impact events (Figure 4 and Figure 5).

Figure 4: Underside of steering column showing shear capsule displacement

Figure 5: Underside of steering column showing undeformed shear capsule

3.3 INSTRUMENT PANEL – LEFT THIRD

When photographing the left third of the instrument panel, include additional close-up images of the foot controls.

These photos are required for crashes with a frontal component and shall highlight the pedal surfaces, mounting hardware, and any damage from the crash (Figure 6 and Figure 7).

Figure 6: Oblique view of foot controls

Figure 7: View of foot controls and hardware

3.4 INTERIOR DOOR PANELS

Additional photography requirements apply for the interior door trim panels in the case occupant’s seat row for crashes with lateral components. At least one image of each interior door trim panel shall include the vertical and horizontal delineations of the door panel quadrants – calibrated rods or tape may be used to indicate the boundaries (Figure 8, Figure 10, and Figure 11). When possible, a photograph of an exemplar undamaged door panel shall be obtained to demonstrate the pre-crash condition of the door hardware with which the case occupant made contact. A lateral profile view from the door latch position, preferably of an undamaged door, shall be included to demonstrate the profile of the armrest as in Figure 9.

Figure 8: Door trim panel with quadrants marked by calibrated rod and tape

Figure 9: Profile view of door trim panel taken from latch end of door

Figure 10: Door trim panel with quadrants marked by calibrated rods

Figure 11: Separated door trim panel with quadrants marked by calibrated rods

3.5 SEATING

3.5.1 ALL CASE OCCUPANT SEAT POSITION(S)

For images that depict a case occupant’s seating position, include at least one photo that contains calibrated rods to demonstrate scale. One rod shall be placed along the seat back extending from the seat bottom cushion toward the head restraint. A second rod shall be placed along the seat bottom cushion extending from the seat back toward the front of the vehicle. A third rod shall be oriented along the vehicle’s longitudinal axis and placed at the top of the seat back extending toward the front of the vehicle. Figure 12 and Figure 13 show calibrated rods used to indicate scale of a seat.

As an alternative to using calibrated rods, a similarly-sized surrogate occupant may be positioned in the case occupant’s seat position (in the case vehicle or an undamaged exemplar). The surrogate occupant shall be within ±5% of the case subject’s weight and ±2% of the case subject’s height to be considered for a Case Equivalent Value modifier.

Figure 12: View of driver's seat with calibrated rods from left door opening

Figure 13: View of driver's seat with calibrated rods from passenger side

3.5.2 FIRST ROW CASE OCCUPANT SEAT POSITION(S)

CIREN requires additional documentation of first (front) row seats, including photographic evidence of the seat hardware for positions occupied by case occupants in cases with frontal or undercarriage crash events. If possible, remove the seat covering and cushion to better capture the nature of the seat structure (Figure 14). Capture any additional views that demonstrate deformation or damage to the seat structures as in Figure 15. The captured views shall include views of the seat tracks and supporting structures from the front (Figure 16), back (Figure 17, if possible), and outboard side. Comparison photos of an exemplar undamaged seat are also useful during case review.

Figure 14: Front view of seat structure with covering and cushion removed

Figure 15: Front view of seat structure showing deformation of frame

Figure 16: View of seat structure from the front

Figure 17: View of seat structure from the rear

3.6 BELT RESTRAINTS

Special attention shall be given to the photographs of the belt restraints in occupied seating positions of CIREN case vehicles. While general overall views are sufficient to show the type of belt restraint, close-up views or key components shall be included to support the determination of restraint use for the case occupant and of any other case vehicle occupants who may have interacted with the case occupant’s seating area. The key components that must be captured include the belt webbing (Figure 18), loaded portion of D-ring (Figure 19), latch plate belt guide (both sides - Figure 20 and Figure 21), and pretensioners (Figure 22 and Figure 23 show actuated and non-actuated outboard lower anchor pretensioners). The latch plate photographs must clearly convey the type of belt guide (free-falling, friction locking, or dynamic locking). The investigator shall use their best professional judgement to determine which belt restraint-related evidence best demonstrates usage or non-usage. Evidence of usage includes, but is not limited to, abrasions and/or transfers to the webbing, belt loop stitching, and melting or abrasions to the D-ring or latch plate belt guides. Varied lighting conditions in the field may require photos from multiple angles to best depict the restraint system evidence.

Figure 18: View of abrasions on belt with tape to highlight location

Figure 19: View of D-ring where loaded by shoulder belt

Figure 20: Latch plate belt routing abrasion - bottom

Figure 21: Latch plate belt routing abrasion - top

Figure 22: Actuated outboard belt pretensioner

Figure 23: Non-actuated outboard belt pretensioner for comparison with Figure 23

3.7 INFLATABLE RESTRAINTS

3.7.1 SIDE AIRBAGS

Include calibrated rods in at least one photograph of the deployed seat-mounted side airbag from an inboard view (Figure 24) and/or outboard view to best show the coverage area of the bag. This requirement applies for seat-mounted side impact airbags offering pelvis, torso, and/or head protection, located either on the inboard or outboard side of the seat back in any row of the case vehicle. The calibrated rods shall be oriented in a manner that indicates the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the airbag.

Figure 24: Seat-mounted side airbag with calibrated rods

For side curtain airbags, additional photographs detailing the unique shapes, tether locations, attachment points, and chambers shall be captured with calibrated rods to support the additional field measurements and demonstrate position relative to other vehicle components (Figure 25 and Figure 26). Photographic documentation of pillar coverage, chamber positions relative to seating position, and sail panels are valuable during case review and shall be captured to the extent possible for curtain airbags with which a case occupant may have interacted during the crash.

Figure 25: Side curtain airbag with calibrated rods

Figure 26: Front mount and tether of side curtain airbag

3.7.2 KNEE AIRBAGS

Multiple photographs of knee airbags are required to show the instrument panel (IP) side and the occupant side.

Knee airbags usually deploy from the lower instrument panel toward the occupant’s knees, but will hang down once deflated. The IP-facing side can be photographed while the knee airbag is hanging down from its module. To photograph the occupant-facing side, the knee airbag must be reflected up onto the IP and held in place using tape or clips.

Figure 27: Knee airbag hanging toward floor (visible surface contacts IP when deployed)

Figure 28: Knee airbag reflected up onto the IP (visible surface contacts occupant when deployed)

3.7.3 SEAT CUSHION AIRBAGS

For case vehicles equipped with a seat cushion airbag in the case occupant’s seating position, an attempt shall be made to document the nature of the airbag by removing the seat covering and cushion to expose the airbag components.

3.7.4 INFLATABLE BELTS

For case vehicles equipped with an inflatable seat belt in the case occupant’s seating position, additional photos of the belt shall be obtained to demonstrate the characteristics of the inflated portion of the belt. With the buckle fastened in the receiver, attempt to spool out the belt such that the lap and shoulder portions are close in position to the as-worn state – clips and/or rods may be required to maintain the correct position. Abrasions on the webbing from the D-ring may be used as a guide to determine pre-crash spool-out. Obtain several photographs of the inflatable belt in the as-worn state. Using rods and clips, attempt to open the inflatable portion of the belt to capture photographs depicting the deployed size of the chamber(s).

3.8 CHILD SAFETY SEATS

For case occupants seated in a child restraint seat, include a calibrated rod in at least one photo of the seating area of the child restraint as in Figure 29. The rod shall be oriented along the seat back from the seat bottom toward the head restraint to show scale and approximate dimensions.

Figure 29: Child restraint seat with calibrated rod

4 IMAGE SANITIZATION

The image sanitization requirements for CIREN add minimally to those in the Section Four: Appendix A of the FCIPP guide, though each CIREN center’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) study protocol may include even greater image sanitization requirements.

• Mask the agency or jurisdiction names on all law enforcement, fire, EMS, or other municipal vehicles

• For crash case vehicles, mask tow or salvage yard stock numbers and insurance identifiers

• As required by the enrolling CIREN center’s IRB-approved study protocol, mask the production sequence of the VIN even though the photo will be marked “Unsanitized” in the data system.

• On-scene images obtained during the investigation process shall be sanitized according to the same standards as other images, but additional efforts shall be made to sanitize faces of on-scene personnel as well as any bystanders to protect all individuals regardless of involvement in the crash.

5 IDENTIFICATION AND CATEGORIZATION

All CIREN crash case images must be captioned and categorized in the electronic data system prior to submitting the case as QC Review. Each image shall have an appropriate caption that describes the content of the image and shall reside in the most appropriate category in the image tree. Do not leave any images in the “Uncategorized” folder of the image tree – all images must be categorized or moved to the “Trash” folder. Each image must also be marked with the applicable sanitization status and graphic content status. Only categorized images that are marked “Sanitized” and “Not Graphic” will be released to the public.