Reducing deaths in single vehicle collisions

A third of road deaths in the EU are caused by collisions that involve a single motorised vehicle where the driver, rider and/or passengers are killed but no other road users are involved. These single vehicle collisions (SVCs), and how to prevent them occurring, are the subject of this report. Nearly 7300 road users lost their lives in 2015 in SVCs in the EU. Around 94,800 people have died in such collisions in the last ten years. Across the EU, the total number of people killed in SVCs was cut by 43% over the period 2005-2014. Deaths caused by collisions of this type have fallen a bit faster than road deaths overall (-41%) but slower than road deaths caused by multi-motor vehicle collisions (-44%). Young drivers and riders are at a greater risk of becoming involved in fatal single vehicle collisions than any other road user age group. This risk is twice as high for the 18-24 age group compared to the 25-49 age group. Data available from a few countries suggest that the range of casualty characteristics vary from country to country but the most common fatal SVC scenarios are the vehicle leaving a straight road or leaving the road when driving on a bend. An in-depth study conducted in the Netherlands in 2011 found that distraction was the most frequent contributory factor related to human behaviour, involved in 31% of the SVCs studied. This was followed by speeding (27%), alcohol use (19%) and fatigue (17%). Young drivers appear to be involved in SVCs when distracted, choosing inadequate swerving manoeuvres to avoid another road user/object or when they incorrectly assess the traffic situation.

• Record URL:
  http://etsc.eu/reducing-deaths-in-single-vehicle-collisions-pin-flash-32/
• Corporate Authors:

  European Transport Safety Council (ETSC)

  Brussels,    
• Authors:
  • Adminaite, D
  • Jost, G
  • Stipdonk, H
  • WARD, H
• Publication Date: 2017-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 35p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 32

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Crash analysis; Crash causes; Distraction; Drivers; Fatalities; Ran off road crashes; Single vehicle crashes; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Safe systems (road users)
• Geographic Terms: Europe
• ATRI Terms: Crash analysis; Crash cause; Crash countermeasure; Distraction; Driver behaviour; Fatality; Run off the road crash; Single vehicle crash
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01635174
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: May 24 2017 12:18PM