THE CONTRIBUTION OF ROLLOVER TO SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASH INJURIES

The objective of this study was to clarify whether and how rollover raises the risks of occupant injury in crashes. Previous research showed that injury rates were at least twice as great in rollover crashes as in non-rollover ones, but the higher injury rates in rollovers could have been the result of higher crash speeds required to cause overturn. Consequently, methods were adopted in this study to account for crash speeds in comparing injury rates in rollover and non-rollover single-vehicle crashes. Comparisons included the effects on belted and non-belted drivers, and special analyses addressed the question of whether ejection was the main injury mechanism in overturn crashes. The data examined were automated databases from the accident files of North Carolina and the National Accident Sampling System (NASS). It was concluded that: (1) Beyond the effects of impact speed, vehicle overturning increases driver serious injury rates by 10% to 50%; (2) The driver serious injury rates of vehicle models tend to increase moderately with their rollover rates, but the relationship may be partially due to vehicle size and the effects of driver age; (3) Ejection is a major source of rollover injuries, and restraint systems greatly benefit drivers in both overturn and non-overturn crashes; (4) Rollover serious injuries are primarily to the head, abdomen/pelvis, and chest.

• Corporate Authors:

  Calspan Advanced Technology Center

  4455 Genesee Street
  Buffalo, NY  United States  14225

  AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

  607 14th Street, NW, Suite 201
  Washington, DC    20005
• Authors:
  • Terhune, K W
• Publication Date: 1991-3

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 59 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abdomen; Age; Drivers; Ejection; Hazards; Head; Injuries; Manual safety belts; Motor vehicles; Pelvis; Risk assessment; Rollover crashes; Single vehicle crashes; Speed; Thorax; Traffic speed; Vehicle size
• Identifier Terms: National Accident Sampling System
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver age; Head injuries
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00611950
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Calspan RN 7881-1
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1991 12:00AM