A STUDY OF VOLKSWAGEN ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

THE PERFORMANCE OF 879 VOLKSWAGEN TWO-DOOR SEDAN "BEETLE" MODELS WAS COMPARED WITH THAT OF 26,673 AMERICAN AND IMPORTED CARS INVOLVED IN RURAL INJURY-PRODUCING ACCIDENTS IN 30 STATES. ROLLOVER, WITH ITS ASSOCIATED HIGH INCIDENCE OF DANGEROUS EJECTION, OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY FOR VOLKSWAGEN, RENAULT AND OTHER SMALL FOREIGN SEDANS THAN FOR AMERICAN CARS. AMONG LATE-MODEL AMERICAN CARS, CORVAIR OVERTURNED MOST FREQUENTLY. THE GREATER FREQUENCY OF EJECTION, AND NOT CAR SIZE ALONE, IS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR SHARPLY INCREASED HAZARDS OF INJURY TO OCCUPANTS OF PRE-1966 VOLKSWAGENS. VOLKSWAGEN AND CORVAIR HAD THE LOWEST FREQUENCY OF FRONT "FIRE WALL" DAMAGE IN FRONTAL IMPACTS. THE FREQUENCY OF FIRE AMONG VOLKSWAGENS, AFTER THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE, WAS AMONG THE LOWEST OF ALL CARS STUDIED. LOADING CAUSES OF INJURY ARE DISCUSSED, AND SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VOLKSWAGENS AND U.S. CARS ARE NOTED. STUDY DID NOT INDICATE WHETHER VOLKSWAGENS ARE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS ANY MORE OR LESS OFTEN THAN ANY OTHER CAR, BUT RATHER WHAT DID TAKE PLACE ONCE AN INJURY ACCIDENT OCCURRED. /AUTHOR/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1800052
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 1, No 3, PP 115-126
• Authors:
  • GARRETT, J W
  • Stern, A
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Journal of Safety Research
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-4375
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224375

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compact automobiles; Crash analysis; Ejection; Fires; Injuries; Traffic crashes; Turnover; Vehicle performance; Vehicle safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Old TRIS Terms: Small car; Vehicular safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220630
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 19 1970 12:00AM