Off-road passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles are becoming an increasing proportion of the Australian passenger vehicle fleet.

Consequently, a review of the level of occupant protection provided by these vehicles was commenced in 1992. As part of the review, a further study was commissioned with the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) to examine the occurrence of injuries to occupants of these vehicles.

In parallel, a review group was set up with industry to explore ways to improve the level of occupant protection provided by these vehicles. This included a regulatory impact statement on the costs and benefits of new ADR requirements.

This paper provides the outcome of that review in general and specifically covers the FORS crash test program which was conducted as part of the standards development program to improve occupant protection provided by off-road passenger vehicles and light commercials.

The test program provides a general indication of the safety performance of these vehicles and in summary, supports the application of ADR 69/00 Full Frontal Occupant Protection to Off-road Passenger Vehicles and Light Goods Vehicles which would result in an improvement in the occupant protection levels. This would also shift the focus towards performance based testing of the vehicle occupant protection package as a whole and provide a level of occupant protection equal to that of passenger cars.