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1.2 Explore: Modeling the Vehicle Collisions

Learning Set 1

ACCIDENT CHALLENGE


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1.2 Explore: Modeling the Vehicle Collisions1.2 Explore: Modeling Vehicle

1.2: Part 1 of 3What happens during a collision?

Car accidents can be traumatic experiences. If you have seen or been in a car accident, you may

remember hearing loud noises, seeing bits of cars flying in different directions or parts of cars

being deformed or even feeling shaken around inside the vehicle. There are many interactions

that occur when one vehicle collides with another vehicle. In order to gain a better

understanding of this phenomenon, you will view some short video clips where a strike vehicle

is hitting a target vehicle. Think about these questions for each video shown.

What do you hear and see during the vehicle collisions? Describe the movement strike vehicle (Vehicle A) before, during, and after the

collision.

Describe the movement of the target vehicle (Vehicle B) before, during, and afterthe collision.

Watch Video 5

CLASS

Think/Pair/Share As you watch the short video clips of

actual car collisions, think about the questions below and

record your answers on the 1.2 Collision Questions sheet.You will then pair with a partner to discuss the questions,

and later share your answers with the class.


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1.2 Explore: Modeling the Vehicle Collisions

1.2: Part 2 of 3Modeling Collisions

As you analyzed the above videos, it was evident that the target vehicle moved a forward

distance when hit by the strike vehicle. At the intersection where car collisions are occurring in

McFarland, the target vehicle also moved a forward distance after being hit by the strike vehicle.

Map 3Previous Years Accident Data Map 4 - This Years Accident Data

Traffic engineers often measure the distance traveled by the target vehicle after collision to

learn more about the cause of the collision. Additionally, they are able to use such distance

data from past accidents to better understand the cause of a new accident. While that data is

useful, sometimes they need additional information to study these distances.

In such cases, traffic engineers have to recreate these collisions. It would be too dangerous to

recreate these collisions with human drivers at the actual intersection. They often have to

recreate these accidents in a laboratory environment using a model. A model of the real-life

situation can test important aspects of a phenomenon under investigation.


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1.2 Explore: Modeling the Vehicle CollisionsYou are going to view some videos that show vehicle collisions being modeled by traffic

engineers in a laboratory setting. Before you watch these videos, review your answers to the

questions in Part 1. You will be answering the similar questions on these videos

What do you hear and see during the vehicle collisions? Describe the movement strike vehicle (Vehicle A) before, during, and after the collision. Describe the movement of the target vehicle (Vehicle B) before, during, and after the

collision. (when applicable)

Record these answers on 1.2 Collision Questions Sheet .

Watch Video 6

In the videos, you may have noticed that models have many similarities to the actual collisions

on the street. This is important in order to make sure that that the engineers are learning

information that they can apply to the actual accidents. You may have also noticed that there

were also some differences between the model accidents and actual accidents. Some of these

differences were due to constraints of the laboratory that dont completely match real-life.

Your teacher will now facilitate a discussion to develop a list of constraints and limitations that

the traffic engineers had to consider to complete their laboratory collisions.

STUDENT

CLASS

Watch model traffic collisions and record your

answers to the questions on 1.2 Collision Questions

Discuss the constraints of the laboratory crash tests in

Video 6.


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1.2 Explore: Modeling the Vehicle Collisions1.2: Part 3 of 3Develop a model

Now that you have observed examples of car collision models, you will determine how you can

model the vehicle collision happening at the intersection of Park and Main Street in McFarland.

You may want to review your Challenge Organizer as you begin to design your model. This will

give you the information needed to design a model that recreates your accident scene. As you

think about your model, remember that just like any laboratory environment, your classroom

will have constraints. What materials and equipment would you need? How might you use

those materials to model a tractor-trailer colliding with a still car at the intersection?

GROUP

Think about and discuss how you might model a vehicle

collision like those occurring at Park and Main. Identify two

constraints in your classroom laboratory that may affect

how you design your model.


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1.8 Reflect & Connect: Evaluate Solution to the Challenge

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