RISK OF FATAL INJURY IN VEHICLES OF DIFFERENT SIZE

This paper reports the results of a study to establish and quantify the relative risk of fatal injury to drivers of specific classes of vehicles as a function of vehicle size. The major accomplishment of this study is the establishment of relative risk factors for drivers of different classes of vehicles which reflect the real life situation and are not based on questionable assumptions. Among the findings are the following: the risk for drivers of minicompacts is 10 times larger than for drivers of full size cars, whose risk is also 10 times higher than for drivers of large trucks; and in vehicle to vehicle collisions among passenger cars, the risk of a driver fatality between the smallest and the largest of the five classes of passenger cars is as large as 14 to 1 in favor of the largest class.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Cerrelli, E C
• Publication Date: 1984-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compact automobiles; Fatalities; Hazards; Large automobiles; Risk assessment; Statistical analysis; Trucks; Vehicle size
• Old TRIS Terms: Large car; Small car
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I81: Accident Statistics; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00394326
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-806 653
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 30 1985 12:00AM