FATAL SINGLE VEHICLE CRASHES STUDY

Single vehicle crashes comprise about 30 to 40 percent of fatal crashes in most jurisdictions. However, the detail of investigation of these crashes is often minimal in the (approximately) two-thirds of crashes in which the driver is killed. A case-control study was conducted to estimate the relative risks of the factors contributing to fatal single vehicle crashes. The most important risk factors identified were: alcohol and cannabis, younger drivers, and older drivers. The major factors contributing to the severity of fatal single vehicle crashes were: trees and poles, not wearing seat belts, and pre-1978 vehicles. Almost a third of the crashes involved impact with a tree or pole located within the desirable clear zone as outlined in VicRoads policy. It was concluded that high levels of alcohol appear to be more common in fatal single vehicle crashes than in fatal multi-vehicle crashes. Cannabis without alcohol did not seem to play a large role in these crashes. More investigation of the combined effects of alcohol and cannabis is needed. Removal of roadside hazards has the potential to reduce significantly the number of fatal single vehicle crashes. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see IRRD abstract no. E200362.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0646380117
• Corporate Authors:

  VICTORIA POLICE

  ST KILDA ROAD
  MELBOURNE, VICTORIA  Australia  3004
• Authors:
  • HAWORTH, N
• Publication Date: 1999-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 11 p.
• Serial:
  • ROAD SAFETY AND TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, 6TH, 1999, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
  • Publisher: VICTORIA POLICE

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Aged; Conferences; Crash severity; Crashes; Drugs; Fatalities; Hazards; Injury severity; Intoxication; Manual safety belts; Recently qualified drivers; Risk assessment; Roads; Safety; Seat belts; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Causes; One; Side
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1757: Age; 9003: Cause; 8525: Conference; 2242: Drugs; 2231: Drunkenness; 1602: Fatality; 2755: Highway; 1746: Old people; 9054: One; 9150: Risk; 1665: Safety; 1476: Safety belt; 1623: Severity (accid, injury); 9074: Side; 1255: Vehicle
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00792907
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-646-38011-7
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: May 31 2000 12:00AM