THE INDEPENDENT CONTRIBUTION OF DRIVER, CRASH, AND VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS TO DRIVER FATALITIES

Several driver, crash, and vehicle characteristics may affect the fatality risk of drivers involved in crashes. To determine the independent contribution of these variables to drivers' fatality risk, this study used data from single vehicle crashes with fixed objects contained in the U.S. Fatal Accident Reporting System. A multivariatelogistics regression revealed that the odds ratio (OR) of a fatal injury increased with age, reaching 4.98 (99% confidence interval (CI) = 2.01-12.37) for drivers aged 80+ compared with drivers aged 40-49 years. Female gender (OR = 1.54, 99% CI = 1.35-1.76) and blood alcohol concentration greater than 0.30 (OR = 3.16, 99% CI = 1.96-5.09) were also associated with higher fatality odds. In comparison with front impacts, driver-side impacts doubled the odds of a fatality (OR = 2.26, 99% CI = 1.92-2.65), and speeds in excess of 111 kph (69 mph) prior to or at impact were related to higher fatality odds (OR = 2.6, 99% CI = 1.82-3.83) compared with speeds of less than 56 kph (35 mph). Three-point seatbelts were protective against fatal injuries (OR = 0.46, 99% CI = 0.39-0.53 compared with no belt). These data suggest that increasing seatbelt use, reducing speed, and reducing the number and severity of driver-side impacts may prevent fatalities. The importance of age and gender suggests that the specific safety needs of older drivers and female drivers may need to be addressed separately from those of men and younger drivers.

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

  Elsevier

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  Kidlington, Oxford  United Kingdom  OX5 1GB
• Authors:
  • Bedard, M
  • Guyatt, G H
  • Stones, M J
  • Hirdes, J P
• Publication Date: 2002-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 717-727
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 34
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Aged drivers; Determinants (Mathematics); Driver categories; Fatalities; Females; Gender; Males; Risk assessment; Single vehicle crashes; Traffic crashes; Vehicle characteristics; Young adults
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00932259
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 17 2002 12:00AM