Influence of car weights on driver injury severity and fatalities in head-on collisions

Foret-Bruno, Jean-Yves; Thomas, Christian; Morvan, Yves; Faverjon, Gérard; Le Coz, Jean-Yves; Tarrière, Claude

Affiliations

Abstract

This statistical study looks at injury severity and fatalities for belted drivers involved in collisions between two cars having a known mass. This research, when considered along with the results already presented by other teams, allows an in-depth evaluation of risk as a function of the mass of the impacting cars.

In this study, we have analyzed injury severity and fatalities for the drivers in both involved cars as a function of the cars’ respective weights, as well as the overall severity of the collisions.

Moreover, in the second part of our paper, we have applied to our accident sample L. Evans’ method of establishing drivers’ exposure to risk in two-car collisions through the analysis of pedestrian fatality frequency according to car mass.

The differences between the results observed using the two methods will be discussed.

Cited Works (2)

Year	Entry
1989	Partyka SC, Boehly WA. Passenger car weight and injury severity in single vehicle nonrollover crashes. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.507-519.
1987	Evans L, Wasielewski P. Serious or fatal driver injury rate versus car mass in head-on crashes between cars of similar mass. Accid Anal Prev. April 1987;19(2):119-131.

Cited By (1)

Year	Entry
2003	Jawad SA. Protecting small cars and mitigating severe crashes: smart structure solution. In: Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 19-22, 2003; Nagoya, Japan.