EFFECT OF SAFETY BELTS ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

AUSWIRKUNGEN DES SICHERHEITSGURTES AUF DIE FOLGEN DER UNFÄLLE IM STRASSENVERKEHR

As a result of wearing seat belts a reduction of 30% to 50% may be expected in the number of car occupants fatally injured in traffic accidents and a reduction of 40% to 50% is likely in the numbers injured. The rate of installation should rise to over 75% if the present development continues. From installation and usage rates there results an overall usage rate of about 55% applied to private cars. From such an increase in the use and by reference to experience abroad, it is possible to predict a reduction in the number of fatalities as a result of using seat belts by more than 25% or 1600 persons per year. In relation to the injured, it can be assumed that a 40% increase in the usage will result in a reduction in the number of injured private car occupants of 16% or 40000 persons per year. A cost/benefit comparison shows that the benefit already exceeds the cost element. Various investigations have shown that the installation and use has steadily increased since January 1974. Depending upon the traffic type, cylinder capacity of the cars and sex of the drivers there results a differing determination of the installation and use rates. About three quarters of all those questioned approved the introduction of the seat belt law. About 90% of car drivers in November 1974 saw the seat belt as a necessary and sensible restraint system. Relative to the danger of injury it was determined from interviews with 106 persons injured whilst wearing a belt that in 79 cases it was considered that the seat belt had probably contributed to a reduction of the consequences of the accident. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Institute of Road Research, Germany

  Bruhlerstrasse 1, Postfach 510530
  D-5000 Cologne 51,   Germany 
• Authors:
  • Richard, Heinrich
  • Brühning, Ekkehard
  • Löffelholz, Herbert
• Publication Date: 1976-1

Language

• German

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 32 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Benefit cost analysis; Crash rates; Economic efficiency; Fatalities; Forecasting; Gender; Injuries; Manual safety belts; Public relations; Statistics; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency; Public support; Use
• ITRD Terms: 226: Cost benefit analysis; 5911: Efficiency; 1602: Fatality; 132: Forecast; 2163: Injury; 1476: Safety belt; 6555: Statistics; 9084: Use
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Design; Economics; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment; I84: Personal Injuries; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170373
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 28 1978 12:00AM