ANALYSING ACCIDENT DATA TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE IN-CAR SAFETY SYSTEMS

A project was carried out at TRL in 1995 to provide guidance to motor manufacturers about the types of equipment which are likely to prove most effective in reducing the number of accidents. Extensive samples of accidents were examined in order to determine their causes. This paper summarises the methods used to collect accident data, the analyses of these data and the guidance that was developed. Two samples of over 1000 accidents were studied: one consisted of fatal accidents reported by the police and the other consisted of much less serious accidents reported by drivers to their insurer. Seven major clusters of accidents were identified. Among fatal accidents, these comprise pedestrian accidents and accidents involving loss of control because of excessive speed or a driver's lack of judgement of the car's path. The clusters of non-fatal accidents involve cars hitting other vehicles or objects in the carriageway because of the driver's distraction, failure to judge the other vehicle's speed or excessive speed, also loss of control because of ice or snow. The functionality required of in-car equipment that would help drivers to avoid these most common types of accident is specified. The possible accident reduction and the price that car owners might be prepared to pay are then assessed. The paper closes by summarising recent developments in the collection of information about the factors that contribute to accident causation. (A)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/14647907
• Corporate Authors:

  TRL

  Crowthorne House, Nine Mile Ride
  Wokingham, Berkshire  United Kingdom  RG40 3GA
• Authors:
  • Broughton, J
• Publication Date: 2000

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 41-6
• Serial:
  • TRL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH 2000 - VOLUME 3, NO 1 - A SELECTION OF ARTICLES AND CONFERENCE PAPERS BY TRL RESEARCHERS
  • Publisher: TRL
  • ISSN: 1464-7907

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Equipment; Fatalities; Safety; Vehicle compartments; Vehicle interiors
• Uncontrolled Terms: Causes; Decreases
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1612: Accident rate; 9003: Cause; 1631: Collision; 8623: Data acquisition; 9009: Decrease; 1772: Driver; 8743: Driver assistance system; 3674: Equipment; 1602: Fatality; 1377: Interior (veh); 1665: Safety; 6120: Sensor; 6555: Statistics; 9113: Warning
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00794923
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jul 7 2000 12:00AM