Pedestrian Protection and Bullbars

According to statistics compiled by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, between 2000 and 2009, an average of 232 pedestrians and 31 cyclists were killed each year in Australia as a result of a collision with a vehicle. Serious injuries averaged at 2732 for pedestrians and approximately 960 for cyclists each year over the period 2000 to 2007. ⁽¹⁾

Statistics of this type have focused regulators’ attention on ensuring vehicles are designed to be as pedestrian friendly as possible.

Research has shown that re-designing the front structure of a vehicle could increase the chance of a vulnerable road user, such as a pedestrian or a cyclist, surviving a collision with a vehicle. As a result Europe and Japan have introduced mandatory standards which specify a minimum level of performance in pedestrian impact tests. This has also led to the development of pedestrian avoidance systems and new technology aimed specifically at improving pedestrian impact outcomes.  For example, vehicle manufacturers are increasing the clearance between bonnets and engines to cushion pedestrian impact, and features such as active bonnets that rise slightly on impact have been developed. Even pedestrian airbags, to be fitted to the front of the vehicle, have been suggested.  

However continued compliance with these new requirements is complicated by the addition of some forms of frontal protection systems (bull bars to Australians).

Many will argue however, that in outback and country areas of Australia a bull bar is an essential accessory to protect against vehicle-disabling animal strikes which could leave occupants stranded in remote areas.

But many bull bars are also fitted to vehicles that are rarely used in areas where they are likely to encounter such hazards. Presumably this is simply to enhance the vehicle’s appearance or in the belief that they will protect against impacts with solid objects or other vehicles.

RACQ does not oppose the fitting of bull bars where there is a genuine and demonstrable need, provided they can be shown to offer the necessary level of protection and meet all relevant legal requirements.

Points to consider before fitting a bull bar

• Bull bars change the way impact energy is transferred to the vehicle’s structure. They may be effective in reducing cosmetic damage but can substantially increase structural damage and crash repair costs. 
• A bull bar adds weight to the front of the vehicle and can increase front tyre wear. Any additional weight also increases fuel consumption and emissions.
• Severe damage to body / chassis structures can result from the increased frontal loadings bull bars produce when operating on poor roads. (Few vehicles, including many 4WDs, are designed to withstand the added weight and dynamic loads they impose on the vehicle)
• Check with the vehicle’s manufacturer (not a dealer) about bull bar recommendations. Some specifically recommend against fitting bull bars because they can have an unknown effect on the vehicle’s crash performance.
• A poorly designed or inappropriate bull bar can affect how airbags deploy, reducing the vehicle's crashworthiness.
• Research clearly suggests that bull bars increase pedestrian injuries.
• For city and suburban use, where the risk of colliding with a large animal is very low or for occasional country trips, a nudge bar (which is smaller than a bull bar but may still offer some protection to components such as the vehicle’s cooling system) may be an alternative to the less pedestrian friendly bull bar.
  
  

Bull bar selection

First, consider if you really need a bull bar. If you regularly travel in an area where animal strikes are common or where assistance is not readily available, a bull bar may be a justifiable accessory.  

Think about the increased wear and tear and added fuel consumption a bull bar causes. Will this be offset by the protection a bull bar will provide?

Consider pedestrian friendly bull bars rather than aggressive designs that are more likely to cause harm to pedestrians and other road users.

Light construction and the use of alternative materials, such as plastic, does not automatically mean that the level of protection is reduced. Similarly, a heavily constructed bull bar will not necessarily offer increased protection. A bull bar is only as strong as the mounting points of the vehicle to which it is fitted.

If vehicle protection is the prime reason for fitting a bull bar, ask the seller for proof that the product has been tested and will actually protect the vehicle from damage.

Some vehicles, (even some 4WDs) have limited front axle load capacity so it’s important to ensure that the bull bar doesn’t cause the legal axle loading to be exceeded. This is very important with heavily constructed bull bars and when adding other accessories, such as winches.

If the reason for fitting a bull bar is solely to provide a mounting for spot lights or aerials, consider other mounting options.

Only buy a bull bar that has been certified as not affecting compliance with the relevant Australian Design Rules and vehicle standards. You are likely to need this (certificate or letter) when a Safety Certificate is issued on the vehicle, or if requested by Department of Transport and Main Roads officers.  Failure to produce such a certificate may mean that the bull bar will need to be removed.  Bull bars manufactured by vehicle owners or parties that cannot produce the necessary engineering certifications will not satisfy this requirement.

Where possible, buy the vehicle manufacturer’s optional bull bar rather than an aftermarket one. Bull bars made and sold by the vehicle’s manufacturer will be designed for the vehicle and should not adversely affect the vehicle’s crashworthiness.  Some new car dealers sell aftermarket accessories so it’s important to always ask if the product is approved by the vehicle’s manufacturer. Remember also that problems arising from the installation of any non-genuine accessory will not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty.

Legal requirements for bull bars*

The design and fitting of a bull bar must not adversely affect the safety of the vehicle.

For vehicles manufactured to comply with Australian Design Rules 69 and / or 73, which deal with occupant protection in a crash, the only bull bars that can be legally fitted are: 

1. Those that are certified as being suitable for that vehicle by the manufacturer of the vehicle, or
2. The bull bar manufacturer has demonstrated that it does not interfere with the critical air bag timing mechanism or has adversely affected compliance with the ADRs.

Bull bars must not obstruct the driver’s vision or the viewing angles of any lights. Where lights are obstructed, appropriate additional lights must be fitted.

To reduce the effects on vehicle balance and tyre wear, bull bars should not add significant load to the vehicle’s front suspension. 

Bull bars must be securely fitted and should not project further from the front of the vehicle than is required for attachment.

The bull bar must be designed to reduce the risk of injury to pedestrians, and exposed sections must be radiused and free from sharp protrusions.

⁽¹⁾ Department of Infrastructure and Transport. Regulation Impact Statement for Pedestrian Safety  2011

*Information provided by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.