DRIVER FATALITIES IN 1985-1993 CARS WITH AIRBAGS

Analyses were conducted to estimate the effectiveness of airbags in reducing driver fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. Airbag effectiveness was estimated by (1) comparing driver fatalities in frontal crashes with driver fatalities in nonfrontal crashes for cars with airbags and manual belts and cars with manual belts only, and (2) by comparing driver fatal crash rates per 10,000 registered vehicles for cars with airbags and manual belts and cars with manual belts only. Fatal Accident Reporting System data for 1985-1993 model year cars were compared. The two methods yielded similar results. In the analysis based on location of damage, driver fatalities in airbag equipped cars were reduced by 24 percent in frontal crashes relative to comparable cars with manual belts only and by 16 percent in all crashes. Various estimates of airbag effectiveness are beginning to yield consistent results. These analyses confirm that driver airbags are reducing fatalities in the frontal crashes for which they are designed.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00225282
• Corporate Authors:

  Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

  428 East Preston Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21202
• Authors:
  • LUND, A K
  • Ferguson, S A
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 469-475
• Serial:
  • Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  • ISSN: 0022-5282

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Drivers; Evaluation; Fatalities; Frontal crashes; Seat belts
• Identifier Terms: Fatal Accident Reporting System
• Old TRIS Terms: Seat belt effectiveness
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00713911
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 13 1995 12:00AM