Differential risk of injury to child occupants by SUV size

Kallan, Michael J.; Durbin, Dennis R.; Elliott, Michael R.; Arbogast, Kristy B.; Winston, Flaura K.

Affiliations

¹Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

²TraumaLink, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

³Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Abstract

In the United States, the sport utility vehicle (SUV) is the fastest growing segment of the passenger vehicle fleet, yet SUVs vary widely in size and crashworthiness. Using data collected from a population-based sample of crashes in insured vehicles, we quantified the risk of injury to child occupants in SUVs by vehicle weight. There is an increased risk in both Small and Midsize SUVs when compared to Large SUVs. Parents who are purchasing a SUV should strongly consider the size of the vehicle and its crashworthiness.

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Cited By (1)

Year	Entry
2006	Kallan MJ, Arbogast KB, Durbin DR. Effect of model year and vehicle type on rollover crashes and associated injuries to children. In: 50th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 16-18, 2006; Chicago, IL.171-184.