MOTOR VEHICLE SIZES IN 1440 FATAL CRASHES

All motor vehicle related fatalities, including pedestrian, motorcyclist and bicyclist deaths, in 1970-71 in Maryland were examined by vehicle size, driver descriptives, and situational variables. Occupant deaths per 100,000 years registered were substantially higher among smaller vehicles but pedestrian deaths were higher for larger vehicles. Motorcycles, tractor-trailer trucks and cars with wheel bases of 105 inches or less, respectively, had first, second and third highest deaths per years registered for occupants, riders and pedestrians combined. Variations in driver descriptives or situational variables did not account for the relationship between size and fatal injury. More than 88% of occupants, after exclusion of each index death, survived--suggesting that better energy management in vehicles would increase survival substantially. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

  1005 North Glebe Road
  Arlington, VA  United States  22201
• Authors:
  • Robertson, L S
  • Baker, S P
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 26 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compact automobiles; Fatalities; Large automobiles; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Size; Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Old TRIS Terms: Large car; Small car
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00141958
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 17 1977 12:00AM