Everything You Need to Know About Cargo Bike Crash Tests

As existing crash tests are not standardised, the Steinacker Group analysed which scenarios are known from accident research and which situations pose a potential hazard when riding a cargo bike, and developed corresponding test series on this basis.

Material testing: material load-bearing capacity

We tested the properties of our box based on impact absorption using a drop-tower test (dynamic) and the lateral stiffness of the passenger compartment (static). Among other things, the test procedure was based on a standard from the motorcycle sector.

Lateral tipping behaviour

It was also important to us to test the lateral tipping behaviour of our FS200 (with two child dummies as occupants), both stationary and in motion (at 25 km/h). This is an important test, because every accident ends with the bike falling onto its side. It was confirmed that the lateral EPP collar significantly reduces the risk of head injury.

Side collision with car front

Side collisions are unfortunately a common accident scenario. In this test, the FS200 was pushed several metres from the point of impact by the force of a car striking the box at 25 km/h. Deformation of the box was visible, but it fully returned to its original shape after the impact. Although the acceleration values recorded at the dummy's head were considerable, the measurements confirmed that, under the given test conditions, there is no serious risk of injury to the child in the box.

Frontal collision with car rear

We also subjected our FS200 to a frontal collision test similar to the one carried out by Basler Versicherung in 2020, in its crash test of cargo bikes that attracted considerable media attention: a rear-impact test at 25 km/h against a stationary car. In the Basler Versicherung test, children in the wooden box would have suffered serious to fatal injuries.

The FS200 performed very differently. The EPP box was able to absorb a substantial part of the impact. It was also shown that the child seats, harness systems, headrests and protective collars perform very well even under dynamic conditions. This means that, in the event of a collision involving an FS200, the risk of injury to passengers is low. In terms of maximum head acceleration, the measured values are more than seven times below the threshold at which a motorcycle helmet is considered safe.

How our safety passenger cell works in detail:

• The seats' adjustable headrests and the box's high shoulder lines maximise occupant safety, both inward and outward.
• The Ortho-Safety-Collar significantly reduces impact force in the event of a collision. It ensures that only a minimum of energy actually reaches the child's body, and together with the headrests, also prevents hyperextension of the neck.
• The 5-point harness prevents passengers from "submarining" in frontal collisions. With conventional 2-point lap belts, a child's body can be pulled downward. Through this so-called "submarining", the belt can slip up to abdomen or chest height and cause serious to fatal injuries.