CAR OCCUPANT FATALITIES AND THE EFFECTS OF FUTURE SAFETY LEGISLATION

This paper describes an analysis of a sample of over 300 fatally injured occupants of cars involved in accidents mainly between 1969 and 1976 in urban, rural and motorway environments of the United Kingdom. The sample is drawn from a retrospective field study of collisions conducted by examining cars at garages, and correlating that information with medical and road user data obtained from hospitals and by questionnaires. The injuries to all the fatally injured occupants are described in detail using the A.I.S. and the I.S.S. procedures. These injuries are then related to their most common sources, for specific crash configurations. The vehicle deformation is described in terms of the frequency and severity of various collision types, and then both injuries and deformation are reviewed in the light of existing and proposed safety legislation in Europe. The effect of compulsory seat belt use on this sample is estimated, and the consequences for other safety standards and their relative priorities are discussed.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of 20th Conference, Dearborn, Michigan, October 18-20, 1976.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Griffiths, D K
  • Hayes, H R
  • GLOYNS, P F
  • RATTENBURY, S J
  • Mackay, G M
• Conference:
  • Stapp Car Crash Conference Proceedings
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 337-388

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Crash injury research; Crash severity; Crashes; Fatalities; Laws; Legislation; Manual safety belts; Prevention; Research; Safety; Sampling; Statistics; Traffic crashes; Vehicle occupancy
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Law; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00165124
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 27 1977 12:00AM