Collision severity
Vehicle Delta-V Calculator
Estimate velocity change from supported energy and vehicle-mass inputs while keeping the model assumptions visible.
What delta-V describes
delta-V = change in a vehicle's velocity during the collision interval
Delta-V is not the same as travel speed. A crush-based estimate depends on the absorbed-energy model, both vehicle masses, collision geometry, restitution treatment, and the share of energy assigned to each vehicle.
Inputs and limitations
- Use supported energy estimates and consistent mass units.
- Document whether the calculation is barrier-equivalent or two-vehicle.
- State the assumed principal direction of force and restitution treatment.
- Compare the result with EDR/CDR data and other physical evidence when available.
Do not interpret a modeled delta-V more precisely than the underlying crush measurements and stiffness data support.
Related tools
Crush energy · Restitution and delta-V · EDR/CDR event summary