Pregnant women when riding in a motor car – selected issues

The issue of passive safety of pregnant women travelling by car has been discussed. The pregnant woman’s body has been considered as a complex dynamic system subject to various impacts that take place during a car ride. In the field of motorization, much attention is paid (and rightly so) to the issue of safety of pregnant women travelling by car in consideration of road accidents. Motor vehicle accidents are the most important cause of death of pregnant women, according to data published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In the USA, about 130 000 pregnant women being in the second half of their pregnancy are annually involved in motor vehicle accidents. In this paper, some example solutions have been presented that are to improve the passive safety of riding in a motor car, including those proposed to minimize the injuries that may be sustained in result of an accident. The issue of the possible negative effects of a road accident or collision on a pregnant woman has also been raised. The application of virtual techniques has been discussed and examples of modelling a pregnant woman have been shown. Some research results concerning the deceleration values that might be dangerous for pregnant women have been given, with reference having been made to statistical data on fatal accidents.