United States pedestrian fatality rates by vehicle type

The risk of killing a pedestrian was measured as the number of pedestrian fatalities per billion miles of vehicle travel by each vehicle type in the US in 2002 as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Passenger cars and light trucks (vans, pickups, and sport utility vehicles) accounted for 46.1% and 39.1%, respectively, of the 4875 deaths, with the remainder split among motorcycles, buses, and heavy trucks. Compared with cars, the RR of killing a pedestrian per vehicle mile was 7.97 (95% CI 6.33 to 10.04) for buses; 1.93 (95% CI 1.30 to 2.86) for motorcycles; 1.45 (95% CI 1.37 to 1.55) for light trucks, and 0.96 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.18) for heavy trucks. Compared with cars, buses were 11.85 times (95% CI 6.07 to 23.12) and motorcycles were 3.77 times (95% CI 1.40 to 10.20) more likely per mile to kill children 0–14 years old. Buses were 16.70 times (95% CI 7.30 to 38.19) more likely to kill adults age 85 or older than were cars. The risk of killing a pedestrian per vehicle mile traveled in an urban area was 1.57 times (95% CI 1.47 to 1.67) the risk in a rural area. Outcomes reflect the ways in which a vehicle’s characteristics (mass, front end design, and visibility) and its degree of interaction with pedestrians affect its risk per mile. Modifications in vehicle design might reduce pedestrian injury. The greatest impact on overall US pedestrian mortality will result from reducing the risk from the light truck category. (A)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13538047
• Authors:
  • PAULOZZI, L J
• Publication Date: 2007-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 232-236
• Serial:
  • Injury Prevention
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
  • ISSN: 1353-8047
  • EISSN: 1475-5785
  • Serial URL: http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Buses; Fatalities; Hazards; Motorcycles; Pedestrians; Rural areas; Urban areas; Vehicles
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 1272: Bus; 1243: Car; 1602: Fatality; 1221: Motorcycle; 1733: Pedestrian; 9150: Risk; 328: Rural area; 313: Urban area; 8122: USA; 1255: Vehicle
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01061088
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Sep 10 2007 2:16PM