IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF FATALITIES TO WEARERS OF SEAT BELTS
Detailed studies were made of vehicles, crash locations, post mortem reports and police reports following deaths of 136 persons who wore seat belts during crashes. Most of these crashes were found to have occurred on fast roads, mostly were at or near roadway curves, and most involved collisions with objects such as poles and trees or collisions with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. In many crashes there was extensive distortion of the vehicle occupant compartment with broken pillars, broken seats, broken door latches or hinges, and in some cases broken seat belts. The deceased seat belt wearers most often died from injuries spread widely over their bodies. Death followed for others from blows confined to A small area of the body, usually the head, face and neck region. With one exception, those who died only from forces applied through seat belts were aged 58 years or more. Moderate alterations to vehicles and seat belts could possibly save as many as 40% of deaths like those encountered in the study. The other deaths point to a need to reduce the probability of vehicles encountering other vehicles travelling in the opposite direction on fast roads or encountering strong and rigid poles, trees and other fixed objects. Further study is required to discover whether Australian design rules implemented since the study have sufficiently reduced problems of seat belt release and maladjustment.(a) /TRRL/
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Corporate Authors:
New South Wales Dept of Motor Transport, Australia
Rothschild Avenue, Roseberry
Sydney, New South Wales 2018, Australia -
Authors:
- Vazey, B A
- Holt, B W
- Publication Date: 1976-7
Media Info
- Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 116 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Age; Crashes; Fatalities; Frontal crashes; Highway curves; Injuries; Loss and damage; Manual safety belts; Vehicle compartments; Vehicle interiors; Vehicles
- Uncontrolled Terms: Use
- Geographic Terms: Australia
- Old TRIS Terms: Body
- ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1757: Age; 1057: Air transport network; 8006: Australia; 2872: Bend (road); 1631: Collision; 1614: Damage; 1602: Fatality; 1640: Head on collision; 2163: Injury; 1377: Interior (veh); 1476: Safety belt; 9084: Use
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I84: Personal Injuries; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00157379
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: Acc. Res. Unit 2/76 Monograph
- Files: ITRD, TRIS
- Created Date: Oct 13 1977 12:00AM