ABSTRACT
Incidents involving tactical vehicles are one of the leading causes of non-combat fatalities and serious injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to data provided by the US Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center, tactical vehicles accounted for nearly one-third of all non-hostile fatalities (17 fatalities from November 2007 to June 2010). Significant efforts have been undertaken to improve survivability of these vehicles, especially against the constant threats of improvised explosive devices. Among these efforts has been a greater emphasis on passage ways, escape routes and hatches to ensure that they provide sufficient space for vehicle personnel to safely perform emergency egress measures. However, a vehicle fire or rollover may block access to vehicle doors or hatches and require crewmembers to use an emergency access tunnel to evacuate through the front or rear of the vehicle. Ensuring that all vehicle personnel can successfully utilize these emergency access tunnels or passageway then becomes a key safety requirement.
