Biomechanics

Biomechanics is literally the study of the "mechanics" of "life" (or living organisms).  Thus, biomechanics is a very broad field of science and expertise that may include many specialties unrelated to traffic collisions.

Biomechanics in the arena of transportation accident analysis can be narrowed down and simply defined as the study of human motion.  It includes the kinematics, kinetics, and kinesiology of vehicle occupants and/or pedestrians involved in collisions.  Biomechanical analysis provides an important link between traditional accident reconstruction results and injury causation or injury potential.  Specifically, reconstruction results such as vehicle speed, angle of impact, delta-v, principal direction of force, and vehicle acceleration/deceleration are correlated to the response of a vehicle occupant to these parameters.

In this context, biomechanical analysis represents the synergy of traditional engineering and physics principles with knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, and injury tolerance.