ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF CAR SIZE ON ACCIDENT INJURY PROBABILITY USING AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE DATA

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) compiles injury and collision claim information from major insurance companies. These data have indicated that a disproportionately large number of injury claims are made for small cars. As a result it might be concluded that small cars increase injury risk to their occupants. Recent advertisements by a major automobile manufacturer suggest a similar conclusion should be drawn from these data. In this paper it is shown that the apparent higher injury risk attributed to small cars can reflect the behaviour of persons driving small cars. The number of injury claim accidents per collision claim accident is examined as an alternative measure of injury risk. Possible problems in interpretation are discussed. (Author/TRRl)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Headington Hill Hall
  Oxford OX30BW,    
• Authors:
  • KRISHNAN, K S
  • Carnahan, J V
• Publication Date: 1985-4

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 171-177
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile insurance; Automobiles; Behavior; Compact automobiles; Crashes; Data analysis; Drivers; Hazards; Indemnity; Injuries; Insurance; Insurance claims; Loss and damage claims; Mathematical analysis; Probability; Risk assessment; Size; Vehicle size
• Old TRIS Terms: Small car
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 9001: Behaviour; 1243: Car; 9014: Dimension; 1772: Driver; 1548: Indemnity; 2163: Injury; 1568: Insurance; 6534: Probability; 9150: Risk
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00450940
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-038 985
• Files: HSL, ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 31 1985 12:00AM